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 1130 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2004. PR: Here’s All You Need to Know
Above all, you need to know that
right PR can alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors.
Especially when you create external stakeholder behavior change, kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives.
And all because core of your public relations lies in doing something positive about behaviors of those important outside audiences of yours that MOST affect your operation.
The bottom line is, right PR let’s you persuade those key outside folks to your way of thinking, and help move them to take actions that allow your department, division or subsidiary to succeed.
And now, bonus blueprint that gets everyone working towards same external stakeholder behaviors, insuring that your PR effort stays focused: 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.
Such a blueprint can produce results like new community service and sponsorship opportunities; improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies; prospects
starting to work with you; customers making repeat purchases; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; promotional contest overtures; a rebound in showroom visits; new thoughtleader and special event contacts; capital givers or specifying sources looking your way; membership applications on rise; new feedback channels; stronger relationships with educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities; and even enhanced activist group relations.
It should be a prime concern to you as to who carries out this PR plan for you. Just who is going to do work anyway? Will it be your full-time public relations staff? Folks assigned to your unit by a higher authority? A PR agency team? Regardless of where they come from, they must be committed to you as senior project manager, to PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with key audience perception monitoring.
A cautionary suggestion. Simply because a specialist describes him/herself as a public relations person doesn’t mean they’ve bought program whole hog. You must be assured that those assigned to you believe deeply why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Insure that they buy reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.
Take time to review PR blueprint with your PR team, especially your plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with interchange? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?
For perception monitoring phases of your program, use professional survey counsel if your budget will allow. But keep in mind that your PR people are also in perception and behavior business and can pursue same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.
