So you want to buy an airplane! What's stopping you? Perhaps I can list a few things:

1. My spouse doesn't fly and doesn't support my flying habit.

2. I don't do enough flying. . . it's probably cheaper to rent.

3. I'm not rich.. . How could I afford an airplane of my own?

O.K. Let's acknowlege that emotionally, WE WANT THE AIRPLANE! After all, who wouldn't? What could be more desireable than a brand new airplane, everything working, smell of new leather, and of course turning heads every time you land your new airplane?

Now comes justification part. We'll start with

#1: My spouse doesn't fly and doesn't support my flying habit.

Unfortunately, this one's all too common. However, there are a few things you can do to enroll your spouse in program.

Make it a practice of flying to places that your spouse wants to go! Skip pancake breakfasts and fly-ins. Fly to destinations that are unrelated to aviation. For a list of some great places, visit

http://www.airplanenoise.com/great_trips.htm

Try a "Pinch Hitter" course. Sometimes (I can speak from personal experience here) a good instructor can "hook" your spouse and before you know it you'll be forking out additional money for flight lessons. This is not a bad thing. . . With both of you involved in this activity, you'll win support for your purchase!

Who knows? Maybe your spouse prefers your absence and will endorse your involvement in a time consuming activity!

PR Is Just Smart Business

The name of game is doing our part to achieve manage- ment’s objectives. And public relations best practice – properly applied – does just that.

How? The driving force is public relations’ fundamental premise which promises to harness your most important external audiences in a way that actually helps reach those very same business objectives.

Just look at that premise: “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.”

It strongly suggests that without understanding of who and what your organization is all about, behaviors of those important external audiences may hinder your efforts and, left unattended, tie your organization in knots.

This sentence sums up bottom line. When public relations alters key audience perceptions, then reaches, persuades and moves them to an action you desire, it clearly helps achieve management’s objectives.

Do you enjoy that kind of support? You can if you employ a program along these lines.

Decide at start which outside audiences display behaviors that most impact your organization, and list them. We’ll concentrate here on that #1 external audience you believe has greatest effect on your operations. Of course, other audiences may need your attention as well.

The obvious first step is to find out how members of that “public,” as we call them, actually perceive your organization. The best and quickest way to do this is to interact with those people and ask questions that probe their perceptions. Listen carefully for negative observations and remain alert to factual errors, inaccuracies, misperceptions and even rumors.