A bonus: you are using a near-perfect public relations performance measurement. I mean how can you measure results of an activity more accurately than when you clearly achieve goal you set at beginning of that activity? You can't. It's pure success

So, if you are a newcomer to business, can you expect to avoid pitfalls listed above? Yes, and here's why:

-- With proper preparation, you will not confuse action tactics with basic mission of public relations because you will know precisely what each is and just what fits where in public relations problem solving sequence outlined above.

-- You will feel more confident about providing counsel to employer/client because public relations problem at hand can be clearly identified allowing you to select solutions that obviously fit into action sequence above. You will accurately identify your target audiences because you will know exactly who your employer/client wants to reach, and necessary action tactics will then be self-evident.

-- You realize that you have gone through your entire career WITH a firm, successful grasp of what public relations is all about.

But, on way you must do everything necessary to reach your target audiences, and to nurture relationships between those audiences and employer/client by burnishing reputation of organization, its products or services. You'll do your best to persuade those audiences to do what client/employer wishes them to do. And, while seeking public understanding and acceptance of your client/employer, you'll insure that your joint activities not only comply with law, but clearly serve public interest. Then, you pull-out all tactical stops to actually move those individuals to action. Your client will be pleased that you have brought matters to this point.

When that client measures your real effectiveness, I suggest that he or she will be fully satisfied with those public relations results only when your "reach, persuade and move-to-desired action" efforts produce a visible, and desired, modification in behaviors of those people your client/employer wishes to influence. In my view, this is central, strategic function of public relations basic context in which you must pursue that successful public relations career and a lesson best learned at beginning of your career.

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Special events also will be high on “reach” action list: newsworthy events like trade shows, open houses, awards ceremonies, contests, VIP receptions, financial roadshows, and even media-attracting stunts. At same time, marketing counsel will want to develop sales-oriented communications to help build brand franchise, win consumer acceptance and gain competitive advantage.

Persuade

Persuading your key audiences, third leg of opinion troika, is yet another challenge because bringing these important groups of stakeholders around to your way of thinking depends heavily on quality of message you prepare for each target audience.

It’s hard work. You must understand and identify what is really at issue at moment; impart a sense of credibility to your comments; perform regular assessments of how opinion is currently running among that group, constantly adjusting your message; as well as highlighting those key issue points most likely to engage their attention and involvement; and finally, identify and build into your messages pre-tested, action-producing incentives for individuals to take actions you desire.

By way, those incentives could include very strength of your position on issues, a new plant expansion holding promise of more jobs and taxes for City, or even your organization’s efforts to attract low and middle income housing to area.

Implementation

Equally important to moving into action with highly effective communications tactics will be selection and perceived credibility of actual spokespeople who will deliver your messages. They must be seen as people of stature, and they must speak with authority, personal confidence and conviction if meaningful media coverage is to be achieved.

Now, Let’s Gain and Hold

By this time, your action program should begin to gain and hold kind of public understanding and acceptance that will lead to desired shift in public behavior.

And The End-Game? Modify Behavior, Achieve your Goal

When changes in behaviors become truly apparent through media reports, thought-leader comment, employee and community chatter and a variety of other feedback -- at same time clearly meeting your original behavior modification goal -- I’ll say again that your public relations program can be deemed a success.

Obviously, your piece of action in business recovery ahead will come at a price. And that will be your cost to efficiently modify behaviors of your target audiences. But, payoff makes it all worthwhile -- nothing less than achievement of your business objectives and, at slight risk of overstatement, a real contribution to survival of your organization.

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