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. Word count is 995 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2004. How Real PR Works
For some, public relations works well when their news release or special event winds up in
newspaper or on radio.
For others, public relations works best when it does something positive about behaviors of outside audiences that affect their operations most. I like this approach because a business, non-profit or association manager can use fundamental premise of public relations to deliver key stakeholder behavior change – kind that leads directly to achieving a manager’s objectives.
What fundamental premise of public relations am I talking about here, and how can you put it to good use persuading those important outside folks to your way of thinking, then move them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed?
“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 very people whose behaviors affect organization most, public relations mission is accomplished.”
A simple plan that gets everyone working towards same external audience behaviors insuring that your public relations effort stays on track.
By way, I’m talking about changes in behavior like welcome bounces in showroom visits, community leaders beginning to seek you out; membership applications on rise, customers starting to make repeat purchases; organizations proposing strategic alliances and joint ventures; waves of prospects starting to do business with you; new inquiries about strategic alliances; politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key member of business, non-profit or association communities; higher employee retention rates and even capital givers or specifying sources beginning to look your way.
Meet with your PR team and take time to list those outside audiences of yours who behave in ways that help or hinder you in achieving your objectives. Then prioritize them by how badly they impact you, and start working with target audience that heads your list.
First challenge? You’re not certain just how most members of that key outside audience perceive your organization.
Because there’s a good chance you can’t afford professional survey work, you and your PR colleagues (don’t worry, they’ll be quite familiar with perception and behavior matters) must monitor those perceptions yourself.
Ask members of that outside audience questions like “Have you ever had contact with anyone from our organization? Was it a satisfactory experience? Are you familiar with our services or products?” Stay alert to negative statements, especially evasive or hesitant replies, and especially for false assumptions, untruths, misconceptions, inaccuracies and potentially damaging rumors. Because experience shows they usually lead to negative behaviors, objective is to correct any of above you encounter.
