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 975 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2003. When Tactics Are Not Enough
Your public relations people are busy. The buzz is all about hits on a radio show or mentions in a newspaper column. Or, which to do first,
trade show exhibit or video clip. All useful tactics, but hardly detailed planning needed to REALLY do something about behaviors of those outside audiences that impact you most.
Without that planning, those changes in target audience behaviors you’ll almost certainly need to achieve your objectives is unlikely to come about. And that just shouldn’t happen.
Here’s a simple plan that can get everyone working towards same external audience behaviors, and put public relations effort back on track. 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.
Which makes this worth mentioning one more time: whether you are a business, non-profit or association manager, you need what that fundamental premise promises – kind of key stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving your objectives.
I’m talking about behavior changes like community leaders beginning to seek you out; 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.
It all starts when you sit down and actually list those outside audiences of yours who behave in ways that help or hinder you in achieving your objectives. Then prioritize them by impact severity. Now, let’s work on target audience in first place on that list.
At moment, you are presumably data-challenged because you are probably not aware of just how most members of that key outside audience perceive your organization.
Assuming you don’t have budget to accommodate professional survey work, you and your colleagues 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.
