PR: Lets Talk Fundamentals

How much more fundamental can you get than this? As a business, non-profit or association manager, if you don't get your most important outside audiences on your side, you will fail.

To me, failure means key target audiences that don't behave as you want them to. For example, capital donors or specifying sources who look the other way, customers who fail to make repeat purchases, community leaders working closely with your competitors, prospects still doing business with others, organizations looking elsewhere to propose new strategic alliances and joint ventures, and even legislators and political leaders overlooking you as a key member of the non-profit, association or business communities.

All that can change in a New York minute when you base a public relations effort on this simple premise: 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 those people whose behaviors affect the organization, the public relations mission is accomplished.

The primary benefit of that premise to you as a business, non-profit or association manager is the kind of key stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving your objectives.

And that's very doable. Especially when you take the time to list your most important external audiences, then prioritize them according to the impacts they have on your organization.

The real key to success using this premise is actually gathering information as to how members of your key, external audience perceive your organization.

If you have the resources available and can afford professional survey help, fine. If, however, like most of us you don't, the best alternative is for you or your colleagues to begin interacting with audience members. Ask many questions starting with, "Have you heard of us? What do you think of us, if at all? Have you ever done business with us? Why do you feel the way you do?"

Listen carefully for signs of negativity, and watch for untruths, false assumptions, inaccuracies, misconceptions or flagrant rumors.

Obviously, the data you gather from this monitoring activity form the basis of your public relations goal. For example, correct that untruth or inaccuracy, clear up that misconception, or spike that rumor.

Now here, you encounter three forks in the road.

You need a strategy to show you how to get where you need to go. But only three choices are available to you when dealing with matters of perception and opinion: create perception where there may be none, change existing perception, or reinforce it. And make certain the strategy option you choose flows naturally from your new public relations goal.

It's writing time ? hard work preparing the actual message designed to alter people's perceptions leading, hopefully, to the behaviors you need to help achieve your objectives.

The corrective message is crucial. It must be clear about just what perception needs clarifying, and why. Your facts, of course, must be truthful, logical and believable in order to be persuasive. And the tone of the message should be compelling if it is to command attention and alter perception.

Next step is easy. Pick your "beasts of burden," the communications tactics you will use to carry that brand new, corrective message to members of your target audience.

You have a very long list of such tactics at your disposal. The only caveat is, make sure each one shows a proven record for reaching people like those who make up your specific target audience.

Tactics range from electronic magazines (called eZines!), speeches, brochures and emails to radio/newspaper interviews, press releases, newsletters, facility tours and so many more.

Shortly, you will start to wonder if you are making any progress. And that means a second round of Q&A with members of your target audience. Same questions as before, by the way, only now your focus is on signs that their perception has been altered to reflect that described in your carefully prepared message.

You can always speed up the effort by introducing new communications tactics, and by increasing their frequencies. Also, not a bad idea to check that message of yours one more time for both factual accuracy, and for how successful it was at actually impacting opinion.

Clearly, as a business, non-profit or association manager, you benefit most when your public relations program succeeds in creating the kind of key stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving your objectives.

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.

Robert A. Kelly © 2003.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about the fundamental premise of public relations. 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

---

6 Steps to Using Trade Magazines To Reach Customers

When developing a publicity campaign for their business many owners... Read More

Top Ten Tips for Writing your Best Press Release Ever

Keep these few crucial details in mind when writing and... Read More

How Managers Hurt Their PR Results

Business, non-profit or association managers hurt their own public relations... Read More

Media Relations: Ending the Press Release Crutch

When most people think of media relations, they think of... Read More

5 Critical Tests Every Press Release Must Pass

You've heard "them" say it, haven't you?By "them" I mean... Read More

Post Your Press Release Online ? For Free!!

Are you launching a new product or website? Announcing a... Read More

Be Patient? Nah, Lets Kill Something

There's the old joke about the two buzzards sitting in... Read More

The Feeding Tube for Your Business

There are a lot of things that make a business... Read More

Media Training: How to Tell a More Interesting Story

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

A PR Surprise for Managers

For those business, non-profit and association managers committed to PR... Read More

Publicity - The Right Media Person to Call for Free Publicity

You won't accomplish much if you call the gas company... Read More

Sound Like Your Situation?

What a shame! Potentially productive public relations people resting on... Read More

PR tips for business

Question: Why should your business issue a press release? Answer:... Read More

PR: Lets Cut to the Chase

If your key ? that's KEY ? outside audiences don't... Read More

How To Get Radio-Active PR For Your Non-Profit Cause: Part Three of Three

HOW TO BE RELAXED AND EFFECTIVE ON-AIRHow does one stay... Read More

Why News Releases Fail

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

Managers, Start Your PR

There'll never be a better time for a manager working... Read More

Imagine PR Like This Helping You

As the kids say, how cool is this?You're a business,... Read More

The Non-business Business

Think for a moment! If you were to do a... Read More

The MOST Powerful Marketing and Advertising on the Planet!

It sounds too simple to be true, but it really... Read More

Write Press Releases That Dazzle

When a reporter is wowed, intrigued, surprised or captivated by... Read More

Forget The Story Youre Promoting ? Heres What Journalists Really Want From PR People

Although it seems less common these days, there are still... Read More

The Press Release Method to Get Great Publicity

If you have had any experience in public relations or... Read More

Public Relations: Why it Works

The short answer is, it works best when its fundamental... Read More

Online Business Press Release Writing Tips And Ideas

Press releases are one of the most cost-effective ways to... Read More

Publicity: Polls and Surveys Are a Great Path Free Publicity

When I search Google News for "surveys," I get nearly... Read More

Three Publicity Tips for Marketing-Minded Financial Planners

Financial planners, the first thing to know about reporters is... Read More

Dont Use PR

?lose the confidence of your key target audiences? discourage them... Read More

What Is Best Practice Public Relations?

Why, public relations that stays true to its fundamental premise,... Read More

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners: Get Free Publicity by Choosing the Right Outlets

Sure, any publicity is good. But don't invest time and... Read More

Managers: Why PR is SO Key

When outside audiences important to your operation do not understand... Read More

Three Communication Secrets of The Great Communicator

I've worked in media and public relations for 20 years,... Read More

A Great Way to Do PR

As a business, non-profit or association manager trying to get... Read More