So, because obvious objective here is to correct those same untruths, inaccuracies, misconceptions and false assumptions, you now select specific perception to be altered, and that becomes your public relations goal.

But a PR goal without a strategy to show you how to get there, is like a bratwurst without onions. That’s why you must select one of three strategies especially designed to create perception or opinion where there may be none, or change existing perception, or reinforce it. The challenge here (a small one) is to insure that goal and its strategy match each other. You wouldn’t want to select “change existing perception” when current perception is just right suggesting a “reinforce” strategy.

Now it’s your writer’s turn to prepare a compelling message carefully designed to alter your key target audience’s perception, as called for by your public relations goal.

It may be that combining your corrective message with another newsworthy announcement of a new product, service or employee will lend more credibility by not overemphasizing correction.

The new message must be very clear about what perception needs clarification or correction, and why. Your facts must be truthful and your position must be logically explained and believable if it is to hold attention of members of that target audience, and actually move perception in your direction. In other words, your message must be compelling.

Now you select your “beasts of burden,” communications tactics you will harness to carry your persuasive new thoughts to attention of that external audience.

Luckily, list of tactics is a long one. It includes letters- to-the-editor, brochures, press releases and speeches. Or, you might select radio and newspaper interviews, personal contacts, facility tours or customer briefings. There are dozens in waiting and only selection requirement is that those you choose have a record of reaching people just like members of your key target audience.

Those around you will soon inquire if any progress is being made. Of course you’ll already be hard at work remonitoring perceptions among your target audience members. Using questions similar to those used during your earlier monitoring session, you will now look carefully for indications that audience perceptions are beginning to move way you want them to move..

Happily, you can always speed up process by adding more communications tactics, AND by increasing their frequencies.

But, as this article suggests, building your PR playbook around communications tactics is self-defeating. Instead, use your tactics as originally intended, to carry messages. What must come first is an aggressive public relations plan such as that outlined above that targets key stakeholder behavior change leading directly to achieving your department, division or subsidiary objectives.

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Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com