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 1045 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2004. PR: Time For a New Playbook?
When your public relations results pretty much depend on whether your news item gets used in a newspaper column or on a radio talk show, you may be ready for a fresh approach.
Why not shoot for a 1-2 PR punch?
First, focus sharply on those external audiences who play a major role in just how successful a business, non-profit or association manager you will be.
And second, use
proactive public relations blueprint outlined below to help you persuade those important outside stakeholders to your way of thinking. Then move them to take actions that lead to success of your department, division or subsidiary.
You need a simple plan -- fundamental premise of PR, as it turns out -- that gets everyone working towards same external audience behaviors, and puts your public relations effort back on track.
Here’s blueprint:
“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.”
And here’s a good way to put that blueprint to work in your organization as you pursue external audience behaviors that lead directly to achieving your objectives.
By way, I’m talking about behaviors changes 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; prospects starting to do business with you; politicians and legislators unexpectedly viewing you as a key member of business, non-profit or association communities; and even capital givers or specifying sources beginning to look your way.
Get started by sitting down and actually listing those outside audiences of yours who behave in ways that help or hinder you in achieving your objectives. Then prioritize them by impact severity and begin work with target audience in first place on your list.
Of course you’re probably data-challenged because you aren’t certain just how most members of that key outside audience perceive your organization.
There’s a good chance you don’t have budget to accommodate professional survey work. So you and your PR colleagues (they should be quite familiar with perception and behavior matters) must monitor those perceptions yourself.
Interact with members of that outside audience by asking 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. Watch carefully for false assumptions, untruths, misconceptions, inaccuracies and potentially damaging rumors. Any of which will need to be corrected, because experience shows they usually lead to negative behaviors.
