You know, where you do something positive about
behaviors of those outside audiences that MOST affect your organization? And where you do so by persuading those important external folks to your way of thinking, then move them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed?Yes, that’s right, it’s where you use fundamental premise of public relations to produce external stakeholder behavior change – kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives.
What it boils down to is (1) your public relations effort must involve more than special events, brochures and news releases if you really want to get your money’s worth, and (2), right PR really CAN alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors that help you succeed!
You can do it when you bring that fundamental premise of PR mentioned above, into play. It goes like this: 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.
What kind of results can you, as a business, non-profit or association manager, expect from such an approach? Well, for starters, improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies, stronger relationships with educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities; prospects starting to work with you; customers making repeat purchases; and even capital givers or specifying sources looking your way
And that’s not all. You also could see progress in form of membership applications on rise; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; rebounds in showroom visits; enhanced activist group relations, and expanded feedback channels; as well as community service and sponsorship opportunities; not to mention new thoughtleader and special event contacts.
Yes, that’s promising quite a bit but that’s what this approach to public relations is capable of delivering.
Of course PR people supporting you as a manager – agency or staff – must be real team members and committed to you, as senior project manager, to PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with target audience perception monitoring.
Ask yourself how important it is that your most important outside audiences really perceive your operations, products or services in a positive light? Then assure yourself that your PR staff buys into that notion wholeheartedly. Be especially careful that they accept reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.
Review PR blueprint in detail with your team, especially plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Use questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with interchange? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?
