The Ultimate PR Scam

It happens to business, non-profit and association managers when their public relations budget fails to deliver the crucial external audience behaviors they need to achieve their department, division or subsidiary objectives.

Behaviors they should have received leading directly to boosts in repeat purchases; growing community support; more tech firms specifying the manager's components; increased capital donations; stronger employee retention rates; new waves of prospects, or healthy membership increases.

If that rings your bell, you need to take two actions.

First, insist that your public relations activity is based on a fundamental premise like this: People act on their own perception of the 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 the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

Second, as the manager for whom they labor, get personally involved with the professionals managing your PR effort. Tell those specialists that you must list, then prioritize those key external audiences whose behaviors effect your unit the most.

Identify that outside audience sitting at the top of your slate, and we'll work on it right now.

Nothing happens, of course, until you gather some pithy information. Namely, how do members of that key target audience, whose behaviors affect your unit's success or failure, actually perceive you?

You and/or your PR team must interact with members of that audience and monitor their perceptions by asking a number of questions: Do you know anything about us? What have you heard about our services or products? Have you ever had contact with our organization? Was it satisfactory?

The trick here is to stay vigilant for negative signs, in particular, untruths, exaggerations, inaccuracies, rumors or misconceptions.

By the time you complete this exercise, you will have gathered the raw material you need to establish a corrective public relations goal. It might aim to fix an inaccuracy, clear up a misconception or lay that rumor to rest.

How you get to that goal, however, is another question because you have just three strategy choices when it comes to perception/ opinion matters like this. Create perception/opinion where there isn't any, reinforce existing opinion, or change it. A warning: insure that your new strategy is an obvious match for your new public relations goal.

Now, alert your team to a real writing challenge ? a message tasked with altering the offending perception. Which means your writer must produce a message that changes what many target audience members now believe. No easy job!

It must be clear about how the current perception is out of kilter. And it must not only be truthful, but persuasive, compelling and believable if it is to lead ultimately to the desired behavior. True heavy lifting!

By the way, messages like that best retain their credibility when delivered along with another news announcement or presentation, rather than a dedicated, high-profile press release.

Speaking of delivery, it's time for you and your PR team to select the communications tactics to carry that message of yours to members of a target audience that really needs to hear it. Fortunately, there are dozens of such tactics awaiting your pleasure ? speeches, radio/newspaper interviews, brochures, op-eds, newsmaker events, newsletters and many, many more. Be careful that the tactics you use have a record of reaching folks just like those you're aiming at.

It won't be long before people around you begin asking about progress. Which, once again, will put your team back in the opinion monitoring mode out among the members of your target audience. And the questions they ask will be very similar to those used in the first perception monitoring session.

Difference this time around will be your close attention to just how much current perceptions are really undergoing the change for which you planned. You want solid signs that the offending perception is actually being altered.

You can always shovel more coal into the boiler by adding new communications tactics, then using them more frequently to achieve faster progress.

When you apply a comprehensive and workable plan like this, you have little to fear from "a PR scam." Instead, you are on-track to achieve those key audience behaviors you must have to reach your unit's operating objectives.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net. Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Why News Releases Fail

Sorry about my otaku with this issue (otaku = more... Read More

The Key to Great PR

The Key to Great PR is PerseveranceBy Paula Gardner of... Read More

Culture As A Barrier To Communication

Each of us is exposed to people from other cultures... Read More

3 Reasons to Tap into the Power of Publicity

Publicity is obtaining editorial coverage or features for your business.... Read More

Effective Media Relations ? You Won?t be Talking to the Media Without It!

The media's role is to package and spread news, current... Read More

Knowing the Community

You are in business for yourself, but how well do... Read More

Media Relations: Should You Pay For News Coverage?

Dear New York Times:I'd like to be quoted in one... Read More

Media Exposure Validates And Legitimizes Your Business

Although repetition is extremely important, there are times when advertising... Read More

TV Reporter Shares the Secrets to Getting Covered on the News

Do you have a great idea for a story, but... Read More

This is the Power of PR

The power of public relations is its ability to alter... Read More

Austin?s Annual Charity Event with KVET

In my travels around the country while building my business... Read More

The Worst PR Mistakes

For a business, non-profit or association manager, they could be... Read More

Publicity - Tips on Dealing With the Media

You thought of it, you researched it, you wrote it.... Read More

Public Relations: Understanding Educated Gambling

As an entry level position to PR, I found myself... Read More

Media Training: Why Nobodys Listening to You

SORRY?WERE YOU SAYING SOMETHING?Many spokespeople approach media interviews the same... Read More

Think Big

Would you like to be the next Dr. Phil, Suze... Read More

Media Relations: How to Get Your Letter to the Editor Published

You may remember Forrest Gump's Vietnam pal ? the one... Read More

What Kind of PR Makes Sense?

For business, non-profit and association managers, is it publicity that... Read More

Boost Your Business by Partnering with a Non Profit Organization

Is your business looking for new and creative ways to... Read More

Hispanic Media Relations Training: What to Do When Hispanic Media Call

You are a spokesperson for your company, representing it for... Read More

PR: Whats the Point?

Here's the point: people act on their own perception of... Read More

Levines Laws For Pitching With Panache

Excerpted from "Selling Goodness- The Guerrilla PR Guide To Promoting... Read More

The Increasing Power Of Publicity - And How It Can Benefit Your Business

The call came into my office and the voice on... Read More

Same Old, Same Old PR Still Tops

Like human nature over time, the power of good public... Read More

How Real PR Works

For some, public relations works well when their news release... Read More

Publicity: Three Tips on Writing a Press Release

Use journalistic styleReporters are busy. Just like you.So when you... Read More

Make Front Page News By NOT Inviting The Media

Not a single reporter showed up at our news event.... Read More

How About MANAGING Your Own PR?

It's one thing for a senior manager to approve story... Read More

Did You Know That Even TV Remote Control Units Can Get Press and Media Coverage?

Did you Know That Even TV Remote Control Units... Read More

Is PR Right for You? 6 Questions to Ask

When most people think about marketing, they think advertising. While... Read More

Can Small PR Firms Deliver Huge Results?

They can when they invest in the basics. The best... Read More

Publicity - What to Say to a Reporter

You can have dozens of marvelous ideas to get free... Read More

Networking: 17 Essential Strategies In The 21st Century

It is virtually impossible to succeed professionally and personally without... Read More