If there is a tough part in our brief and logical plan, this is it. You need a really good, corrective message for delivery to your key target audience. It must be clear as spring water, VERY persuasive and, of course, unvarnished truth. Prepare a draft, then try it out on two or three members of your external audience, then adjust as needed.

Now we come to those “beasts of burden” we discussed up front, communications tactics themselves. These foot soldiers, to mix a metaphor, will carry your corrective message to eyes and ears of members of target audience. A pretty important step, so choose well.

Luckily, you have a ton at your disposal. Emails, personal meetings, news releases, radio interviews and special events. Or, letters-to-the-editor, face-to-face meetings, speeches and open houses. A long list.

Your work is not quite over. How do you know whether your brief and logical plan is working?

The answer is, you will not know for certain until you and your colleagues get back into field and talk to members of that all-important key audience population all over again.

I know, I know, that’s time consuming and a powerful lot of work. But it’s worth it! What you want to question those folks about, of course, is same topics you raised first time around. Only now, you’re looking for altered perceptions.

For example, does second set of responses indicate that you were successful in clarifying misconception? Or that inaccurate belief is morphing into your version? Or, that irritating (and potentially dangerous) rumor has been laid to rest?

If, however, feedback shows more work is needed, it’s back to drawing board for a better mix and frequency of higher-impact communications tactics. Plus, another look at your message – was it clear enough? Were best “hot buttons” pressed? Did you include right facts and figures to support your case?

Fact is, Pot ‘o Gold at end of this rainbow is consistency. When you gather responses showing a consistently positive pattern, that brief and logical plan of yours is beginning to produce success promised by fundamental premise of public relations.

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Now, we think message. What are we going to say to your target audience?

First, your message must aim at correcting misconception, inaccuracy, rumor, even a lukewarm enthusiasm for your organization. But it must be persuasive, and compelling with its meaning as clear as possible. It must also prevent any further misunderstanding. Try it out on a test sampling of members of your target audience, then adjust content if needed.

How will you get your message to attention of that key external audience? “Beasts of burden,” that’s how! Better known as communications tactics that will carry that message to right eyes and ears.

And there are many tactics awaiting you. Personal contact, radio interviews, newsletters and open houses. Or contests, news conferences, emails and press releases. There are literally scores available.

So, after two or three months of aggressive communications between you and your key audience, are you making any progress?

Only way to find out is to monitor once again what members of your key audience are thinking. Same questions as first set of interviews, but now what you want to see are perceptions altered in your direction.

For example, you want to know if that inaccurate belief has been successfully neutralized. Or that misconception cleared up. Or that rumor effectively killed.

Certainly, if you discover little progress in those areas, you will revisit your message and evaluate whether it offers believable facts, figures and rationale. In particular, you should revet it for clarity.

And, because there are so many communications tactics available to you, selecting higher-impact tactics, then applying them with greater frequency, will probably be ticket for second round.

However, as day arrives when answers to your remonitoring questions show clear, consistent improvement, you may be excused for concluding that your public relations effort is, at long last, taking advantage of an economy emerging from recession.

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