Have you ever noticed people taking negative actions like hanging out at local dive bar every day after work, spending all their money on liquor and fun, and then complaining that they're broke and can never catch a "break"? Have you ever noticed people who confide to their family and friends that they can't find love, yet they never leave house or put themselves in situations (or on TV) to meet new people? But haven't you also noticed people who surround themselves with positive influences, work hard, are accountable, plan for future, and "create" their own breaks?

In my new friend's case, he was and is simply seeking love. What he got, however, was something completely different (! he was slandered in press). While he admits that he put himself in that situation to begin with, he thrives on fact that he took such a bold chance before anyone else did in history. Would he change way it turned out if he had power to do so? Of course. But he wouldn't change opportunity itself because he was one who put himself there in first place...the bottom line, he took a chance and stood by outcome.

The moral of this story (or newsletter, in this case) is presented in form of a challenge. Sit down and ask yourself this question: "What is right, and what do you wish to be different in your life?"

You might want to take a minute or two to make a list. Take accountability for all those things, both good and bad; for after all, you created them. Then simply keep doing things that are right, and work on a strategy to create new (positive) actions to stop doing things that are not.

It would be complete insa! nity to continue punching yourself in face and then complain to world that you always have a black eye...now wouldn't it?

As you work on your list, keep this mind: You are handed two major tools in life-a hammer for building and a shovel for digging. If you ever find yourself digging a hole deeper and deeper and wishing you could get out of it, just stop digging! Because, when it's all said and done . . .

We are exactly where we choose to be.

Keep Smilin' ----------

Which of above abberations is serious enough that it should become your corrective public relations goal? Clarify misconception? Spike that rumor? Correct false assumption? Fix those inaccuracies? Or yet another offensive perception that could lead to negative results?

With your public relations goal established, you can assure you’ll achieve it by picking right strategy from three choices available to you. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. But be sure your new strategy naturally compliments your new public relations goal.

So what will your message emphasize when you address your key stakeholder audience to help persuade them to your way of thinking?

Select your best writer to prepare message because s/he must put together some very special, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to behaviors you have in mind.

Happily, next step is easy. You select communications tactics to carry your message to attention of your target audience. Making certain that tactics you select have a record of reaching folks like your audience members, you can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others.

Keep in mind that HOW one communicates often affects credibility of message, so you may wish to deliver it in small getogethers like meetings and presentations rather than through a higher-profile media announcement.

You’ll soon feel pressure for signs of progress. And that will lead to a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Employing many of same questions used in first benchmark session, you will now be watching carefully for signs that offending perception is being altered in your direction. Remember that you can always accelerate program by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.

This bears repeating – yes, fiercely combative business, non-profit and association managers use every PR weapon they can lay their hands on, and that includes strategic, rapid-fire print and broadcast tactics.

But those same competitive managers also know they need an aggressive blueprint such as this one that will deliver behavior change among their most important outside audiences leading directly to achieving their managerial objectives.

end

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 communi- cations, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com