Reflections

Written by Rita Ballard


The older I getrepparttar more obvious it becomes to me how much I've changed. Sometimes I wonder if those who've known me for a while can see it too.

I believe that we are different people at different stages of our lives. We carry aroundrepparttar 125420 same basic 'shell', that's true, but even that changes. I look at myself inrepparttar 125421 mirror and there is almost nothing recognizable left of that 20 or 30 year old young woman that I used to be. And onrepparttar 125422 inside, I have definitely become a very different person.

I remember what it felt like when I was that age;repparttar 125423 things that I stressed out about, my hopes, dreams, plans, and fears - I can easily bring back those particular feelings. But I am so far removed from that young person that it feels like memories from someone else. Everything has changed. I've acquired some interesting characteristics.

I think I finally understand what wisdom means. I can actually see myself having some of it. I'm always surprised when I say something that has my experience of years behind it. Could this be wisdom speaking? Patience, something I used to think I would never have, has visited me at last; sometimes it leaves me, but it always comes back. I never knew patience as a younger person. How did I become someone who hasrepparttar 125424 capacity to wait? And I no longer have to have it all, and right now; sometimes, I notice that I don't even want it.

The Most Important PR In America

Written by Robert A. Kelly


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 1125 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

The Most Important PR In America

Just happens to be public relations activity that alters individual perceptions leading directly to changed behaviors. PR pulls that off by persuading a manager’s key outside audiences withrepparttar greatest behavior impacts onrepparttar 125419 organization, to its way of thinking. Then it moves those external stakeholders to take actions that helprepparttar 125420 organization succeed.

I don’t believe public relations can deliver much more than that.

Not surprisingly, PR runs best on its own fundamental premise that gets everyone working towardsrepparttar 125421 same external audience behaviors. Insuring that your PR effort stays focused,repparttar 125422 blueprint goes like this: People act on their own perception ofrepparttar 125423 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-actionrepparttar 125424 very people whose behaviors affectrepparttar 125425 organizationrepparttar 125426 most,repparttar 125427 public relations mission is accomplished.

Results can range from community leaders beginning to seek you out, welcome bounces in show room visits and specifying sources looking your way to prospects starting to do business with you, customers making repeat purchases, and even fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures.

If, as a manager, that scenario appeals to you, try this path.

First, who handlesrepparttar 125428 work required to produce such results? Your own full-time public relations staff? Some people assigned byrepparttar 125429 corporate office to your unit? An outside PR agency team? No matter where they come from, they need to be committed to you, torepparttar 125430 PR blueprint and to its implementation, starting with key audience perception monitoring.

It’s useful to make certainrepparttar 125431 public relations people assigned to your unit really believe – deep down – why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Make sure they acceptrepparttar 125432 reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Working closely withrepparttar 125433 PR folks, start by nailing down who among your important outside audiences is behaving in ways that help or hinderrepparttar 125434 achievement of your objectives. Then, list them according to how severely their behaviors affect your organization.

Now, take steps to find out precisely HOW most members of that key outside audience perceive your organization. If you don’t haverepparttar 125435 budget to pay for what could be costly professional survey counsel, you and your PR colleagues will have to monitor those perceptions yourself. Actually, they should be quite familiar with perception and behavior matters.

Best way to get that activity under way is to meet with members of that outside audience and ask questions like “Are you familiar with our services or products?” “Have you ever had contact with anyone from our organization? Was it a satisfactory experience?” Be sensitive to negative statements, especially evasive or hesitant replies. And watch carefully for false assumptions, untruths, misconceptions, inaccuracies and potentially damaging rumors. When you find such, they will need to be corrected, as they usually lead to negative behaviors.

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