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With
aim of correcting such aberrations before they become hurtful behaviors, here you select specific perception to be altered. You have now identified your public relations goal.
However, my friend, a PR goal without a strategy to show you how to get there, is like Quesadillas without fried onions and mushrooms. That’s why you must select one of three strategies especially designed to create perception or opinion where there may be none, change existing perception, or reinforce it. But be careful that your new goal and new strategy match each other. After all, you wouldn’t want to select “change existing perception” when you have a good current perception suggesting a “reinforce” strategy.
Enter writing talent. Here your PR team must put those writing skills to work and prepare a compelling message. One structured to alter your key target audience’s perception, as called for by your public relations goal.
Here’s a good idea -- combine your fixit message with another newsworthy announcement – or include it in a different presentation -- thus lending credibility by downplaying fact that you’re correcting something.
Still, your corrective message must be clear about what perception needs clarification or correction and why. The message must be truthful and your position must be persuasive, logically explained and believable. It is best way to hold attention of members of that target audience, and actually move perception your way.
Picking tools you will count on to carry your persuasive new thoughts to attention of that external audience (I call such tactics “beasts of burden”) will be easiest part of your campaign.
There is an endless selection of communications tactics available such as group briefings, letters-to-the-editor, brochures, press releases and personal contacts. Or possibly, radio and newspaper interviews, speeches, newsletters, and many others. But again, be cautious about tactics you select. Can they demonstrate a record of reaching same people as those you call your target stakeholders?
Undoubtedly, question of progress will come up. And you’ll want to be ready for such queries by again monitoring perceptions among your target audience members. But there’s a big difference second time around. Using questions similar to those used during your earlier monitoring session, you mow will be on alert for indications that audience perceptions are beginning to move in your direction. Fortunately for you and I, that means progress.
Once again, we are fortunate in PR business that we can move almost any program along at a faster rate by using additional communications tactics, AND by increasing their frequencies.
Two final pieces of advice. Keep your attention focused sharply on very groups of outside people – your key external stakeholders -- who play such a major role in just how successful a manager you will be.
And use a workable blueprint such as that outlined at beginning of this article. In other words, a plan that helps you persuade those important outside stakeholders to your way of thinking, then moves them to take actions that lead to success of your department, division or subsidiary.
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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
