Pay only for value.

Amateur IT consultants tend to charge for their time, not by value of work they perform; so do contract programmers. Real IT consultants, though, charge based on value provided to you, NOT based on time. This is because amateurs are afraid that they won't be able to complete project in a reasonable amount of time, so they want reassurance that they'll be paid for their time in any situation. Experienced IT consultants, though, are confident in their ability to deliver code under their estimate, they are confident in their ability to provide value, and they that they can provide value that's worth MORE than their time is. You shouldn't be making an investment decision every time you consider calling your IT consultant.

It always takes time.

Some consultants will offer to send you a proposal after a ten or twenty minute phone conversation. It is impossible to accurately assess your situation that quickly; they are trying to provide you with a 'one-size-fits-all' package. Real IT consultants will not provide you with answers, proposals, or fees until they know enough about your business to have an informed opinion. Unless your consultant is willing to spend enough time to really know what your problem is, you won't end up with solution that you really need, because your consultant is making random shots in dark.

The test for listing an audience is this: does its behaviors affect my client’s business in any way? If they do, they belong on list.

Obviously, you must now determine what members of that key external public think about your client and his or her business, in order to build and implement a successful public relations effort. And that means interacting with members of that audience and asking a lot of questions. What do they think about your client company and its products and services? Are there signs of negativity? Misconceptions? Inaccuracies? Rumors?

The answers to these questions allow you to establish corrective public relations goal, i.e., a specific perception and, thus, behavior change. For example, clear up that misconception, correct that inaccuracy, or knock down that rumor as soon as possible.

How do you achieve that goal? Right! You select a strategy that will get you from here to there. And there are just three strategies to deal with a perception challenge: create perception (opinion) where there may be none, change existing perception, or reinforce it. Your choice will be dictated by your new public relations goal.

Clearly most challenging step in this sequence is preparing right message for delivery to target audience. It must make a compelling case, so think about it carefully. It must state clearly that offending misconception, inaccuracy or rumor is not truth. Instead, layout that truth in a credible manner. The hallmarks of such a message are clarity, persuasiveness, credibility, believability and a compelling presentation.

Now it’s time for “beasts of burden,” communications tactics which will carry your carefully-scripted message to eyes and ears of that target audience. Happily, there are a ton of such tactics at your disposal. Of course, you will want to double check ability of each to zero in on your specific audience. As most PR firms are aware, they range from news- letters, press releases and radio and newspaper interviews to newsworthy surveys, sports sponsorships, op-eds and many, many more.

In short order, clients will be interested in evidence that public relations effort is achieving results. The best way to demonstrate progress is by reporting on results of a new round of perception monitoring among members of that target audience. You’re looking for signs that their percep- tions now reflect corrective elements of your message

Your clients are subject to same realities as rest of us, realities that never change. As noted, people usually behave based on their perception of facts. And clients usually demand certain behaviors from those “publics” whose behaviors have most impact on their businesses.

Small (and large) PR firms have little choice but to go after those perceptions with a vengeance.

That is how that small PR firm can deliver huge results.

end

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks about the fundamental premise of public relations. 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