Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net. Net word count is 835 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2003. It’s Just Common Sense!
When a group of outsiders behaves in a way that hurts your business, you usually do something about it. Yet, many business people are amazingly casual about their own external audiences. To me at least, they seem to ignore reality that those behaviors really do impact their organizations.
Even when they do realize it, they often fail to associate damage with one remedy likely to help – public relations, America’s behavior modification specialists.
Not surprisingly, fundamental premise of public relations spells out why businesses need public relations. Namely, to help alter perceptions, and thus behaviors of their key target audiences which almost always leads to achieving their business objectives.
Here’s what premise says: People act on their own perception of facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving- to-desired-action those people whose behaviors affect organization, public relations mission is accomplished.
And here’s how you can apply it to your business.
Have you ever thought seriously about who these groups are that can wield such power over your organization? In addition to obvious audiences such as customers, prospects and employees, would your list of key external audiences also include such “publics” as area residents, political officeholders, minorities, fraternal groups, trade and industry leaders, nearby military personnel and union leaders? The test is, do their behaviors affect my business in any way? If they do, they belong on list.
Now, put names on that list into priority order and, for starters, let’s see how we might approach group at top of your list – your key, target public.
Can’t affect how they perceive you, or behave towards you, unless you take time to find out how they currently perceive you and your business. Interact with several members of that important outside audience, and ask a lot of questions. Have you heard about us? Do you have a positive opinion about us? And listen carefully for any hint of negativity such as inaccurate beliefs about your product or service quality and pricing. Do you notice other misconceptions about your business, or a recurring rumor that needs to be confronted directly?