How PR Helps Fiercely Competitive Managers

Fiercely combative business, non-profit and association managers use every PR weapon they can lay their hands on. Which means they employ strategic, rapid-fire print and broadcast tactics every day of their business lives.

Still, many realize they need more than that to win the long-range battle. Fact is, they need a public relations budget that can deliver results far beyond publicity tactics.

The fierce and the smart know they need real behavior change among their most important outside audiences that leads directly to achieving their managerial objectives.

So they make sure they persuade those key outside folks with the greatest impacts on their organizations to their way of thinking, then move them to take actions that help their department, division or subsidiary succeed.

The really fierce use a public relations blueprint something like this one: 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.

If that's you, over time your results probably look like these: fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; prospects starting to do business with you; welcome bounces in show room visits; membership applications on the rise; customers starting to make repeat purchases; community leaders beginning to seek you out; capital givers or specifying sources beginning to look your way, and even politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.

But the fierce ones don't go it alone. They make certain every member of the PR team agrees that it's crucially important to know how your outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Dig deep to ensure they REALLY accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can damage your operation.

Now it's time to activate the PR blueprint and monitor and gather perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audience. Ask questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Lucky for all of us, your PR folks are already in the perception and behavior business, so they can be of real use for this opinion monitoring project. Professional survey firms can be brought in to handle the opinion monitoring chore, but that can cost you a lot of money. So whether it's your people or a survey firm who asks the questions, your objective is to identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, and misconceptions .

Which of the above abberations is serious enough that it should become your corrective public relations goal? Clarify the misconception? Spike that rumor? Correct the false assumption? Fix those inaccuracies? Or yet another offensive perception that could lead to negative results?

With your public relations goal established, you can assure you'll achieve it by picking the right strategy from the three choices available to you. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. But be sure your new strategy naturally compliments your new public relations goal.

So what will your message emphasize when you address your key stakeholder audience to help persuade them to your way of thinking?

Select your best writer to prepare the message because s/he must put together some very special, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to the behaviors you have in mind.

Happily, the next step is easy. You select communications tactics to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. Making certain that the tactics you select have a record of reaching folks like your audience members, you can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others.

Keep in mind that HOW one communicates often affects the credibility of the message, so you may wish to deliver it in small getogethers like meetings and presentations rather than through a higher-profile media announcement.

You'll soon feel pressure for signs of progress. And that will lead to a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Employing many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session, you will now be watching carefully for signs that the offending perception is being altered in your direction. Remember that you can always accelerate the program by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.

This bears repeating ? yes, fiercely combative business, non-profit and association managers use every PR weapon they can lay their hands on, and that includes strategic, rapid-fire print and broadcast tactics.

But those same competitive managers also know they need an aggressive blueprint such as this one that will deliver behavior change among their most important outside audiences leading directly to achieving their managerial objectives.

Feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net. Word count is 990 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

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 communi- cations, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net. Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

---

Five Great News Stories You?re Sitting On Right Now

Smaller companies don't always have the budget - or inclination... Read More

Why PR Can be Effective Medicine

When properly applied by business, non-profit and association managers, public... Read More

Managers Who Tap Into PRs Value

Business, non-profit and association managers get a ton of satisfaction... Read More

How To Get Zero Cost Publicity For Your Business Part 2

This is the ending to my previous article, How to... Read More

Yes, There is a PR Sweet Spot

And here it is: public relations alters individual perception leading... Read More

PR: The Thrill of a Good Idea

The notion that a business, non-profit or association manager can... Read More

The Working Case Study

Next to white papers, case studies are the most popular... Read More

16 Publicity tips for Restaurants

With a dismal failure rate of more than 75 percent... Read More

Media Training: How to Tell a More Interesting Story

PRESIDENT BUSH TELLS A STORYOn March 18, 2005, President Bush... Read More

GETTING YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS

You have a story to tell. Your company has developed... Read More

The 7 Deadly Sins of Press Releases

A press release is often your only chance to make... Read More

Some Cool P.R. Tips for These Dog Days of Summer

Yup -- it's hot and sticky and you don't feel... Read More

Is PR Right for You? 6 Questions to Ask

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

Building The Best Network

If you want to succeed, build a great team. A... Read More

13 Publicity Ideas for Retailers

If you're trying to promote your store, but you don't... Read More

PR Campaigns ? How To Get To Grips With The Media

If you're serious about getting great results from your PR... Read More

There Is No Such Thing as Competition

A wise friend of mine has often said, "There is... Read More

Make the Media Your Friend

The media (newspaper, radio, television) can be of enormous help... Read More

The Most Important PR In America

Just happens to be public relations activity that alters individual... Read More

Why Managers Need the PR Advantage

Where is there a business, non-profit or association manager who... Read More

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Focus on Main Points During an Interview

You never want to inundate a reporter with information, but... Read More

Five Publicity Buckets For Marketing-Minded Financial Planners

Maybe you've seen another financial planner on TV, and thought,... Read More

Community Based Marketing Strategies

As small businesses we have an opportunity and an obligation... Read More

How PR Helps Managers Win

Anything that lets managers achieve their managerial objectives is a... Read More

Media Kit: 25 Component Possibilities

Media kits include a combination of information whether created for... Read More

24 Killer Press Release Secrets

1. Your press release should sound like news, not an... Read More

Public Relations: Converting the Non-Believers

What's the real reason some managers shy away from public... Read More

Publicity: The Right Way for Marketing-Minded Financial Planners to Follow Up with a Reporter

Let's say you've called a reporter with some ideas for... 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

Cultivating Positive Media Relationships

Some people think that publicity is all about paparazzi snapping... Read More

The Press Release is Dead (Now Will Somebody Please Tell the Clients?)

In competing for a piece of business not too long... Read More

Can Small PR Firms Deliver Huge Results?

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

Promote Your Products With A Press Release

Writing an effective press release is a way to draw... Read More