Yes, that IS security when nobody can downsize you because you OWN that small business of yours! But preserving that special advantage is a never-ending job. In fact, do you know what needs to be preserved more than anything else?
Well, since they hold the future of your business in their hands, I believe that an outside group of people whose behaviors can effect your business' survival more than any other, deserves your rapt attention.
What I'd like you to conclude from that is, what your key target audiences think about you can take you down in a New York minute!
* customers displeased with your product or service don't come back
* prospects who don't know about you don't buy
* employees who believe you don't care about them lean on their oars
* when minority folks believe you discriminate, you have new problems
* and if community residents believe your business is a lousy place to work, you have hiring and retention problems.
Even though help is on the way, you can't work on everything at once, so prioritize those key audiences. That is, which external audience is of immediate concern?
The good news is that problems like those above just don't happen when you closely and regularly monitor what those "key publics" think about you. First, you find ways to interact with them.
Then probe what they think about you and the business. In what behaviors are they engaging? What about misunderstandings? Do you see any problems brewing?
When you take the trouble to stay in touch with those folks whose behaviors affect your business the most, you've taken an important first step towards preserving your business.
There's a real sequence here. Once you gather those facts from monitoring your key, target audience, it becomes obvious what your problem is and, thus, the public relations goal. For example, correct that misconception about your product; or reinforce a budding perception that you deliver superior service; or correct a suspicion that you don't put women in positions of responsibility.
With your goal in-hand, how are you going to achieve it? You need a strategy which, in public relations, only comes in three flavors: create opinion (perception) where none may exist; change existing opinion, or reinforce it.
So, you've set your public relations goal AND a very doable strategy. Now, what must your message say to implement that strategy? It must address the "fix" you decided upon when you set the goal. It must be clear, specific, persuasive and, above all, believable. As you write it, remain sensitive to what you are trying to do: change somebody's perception which almost always leads to the change in behavior you really want. Does your message meet this challenge?
Many would now find themselves with a great goal, a super strategy and a first class message, and nowhere to go.
But not you. Here, you select the "beasts of burden" you need to carry that message to the eyes and ears of those members of your key, target audience whom you need to reach and move to action.
And that means communications tactics. There are more available to you than we have time or space to list. Among them: community briefings, seminars, special events, news releases, speeches, brochures and personal contacts.
Is your work completed? Nope, because how will you track your progress? The answer is, Round 2 of the monitoring job. Interact with members of your prime outside audience all over again, carefully evaluating what you hear. If the goal was "correct a misconception," are you beginning to notice signs of that correction? Do those you talk to show, however little, a better understanding of the facts of the matter as represented in your message?
What's the bottom line? Behaviors, of course.
When your messages and communications tactics combine to alter a questionable perception held by members of your key, target audience, certain behaviors will soon follow. Among them, favorable mentions in the media and in individual speeches and lectures; increased patronage for your business; "corrected" perceptions by influential members of that important group of people, and many other similar signs that your message and your communications tactics have, indeed, "drawn blood."
Happily, what that adds up to is a successful public relations effort.
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 © 2005.
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. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations.
Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com; bobkelly@TNI.net
Why does a good business relationship rely on having some... Read More
As an entrepreneur you can learn a lot by following... Read More
Mobile carwashing is hard work, it is tough on the... Read More
The resume writing service serves an important role in the... Read More
Due to the over regulation in the Franchising Industry and... Read More
The Federal Trade Commission is upgrading the franchise law and... Read More
Running a business on the net these days can be... Read More
If an organization lacks a mission statement, it is worthwhile... Read More
Have Some Time to Yourself One of the most important... Read More
Costs of over regulation and over disclosure end up hurting... Read More
Image of your franchise automotive outlet is so important. Some... Read More
How to identify future solutions and opportunities?Your power page, if... Read More
While driving through Pennsylvania farmland, you have probably noticed an... Read More
If you plan to upgrade your workshop into an Authorized... Read More
Fuel prices these days are quite high and they take... Read More
The success of your business is critically dependent on how... Read More
Are the promoters and consultants destroying the market for Reverse... Read More
No matter your age or station in life, we all... Read More
We are noticing an increase in the length of time... Read More
A cluttered world of marketing communications diminishes the ordinary. The... Read More
Q: I really want to start my own business, but... Read More
Most business owners do not think of selling their companies... Read More
Over regulation of small business is so intense it is... Read More
Not sure how to start a small business? This guide... Read More
As you may know, there are many ways to incorporate... Read More
IntroductionIt is widely recognised that Email and the Internet is... Read More
If you run a pressure washing business it is a... Read More
The Workers' Compensation situation in this country is unbelievable. Why,... Read More
Sometimes when you run a business you feel as lonely... Read More
The key to organizational focus and helping those who need... Read More
If you intend to franchise your company you will need... Read More
At first blush this idea might be difficult to wrap... Read More
You make the decision to go into business and for... Read More
If you don't know what a Virtual Assistant (or VA)... Read More
The Workers' Compensation situation in this country is unbelievable. Why,... Read More
Completion not Perfection Five Keys To Doubling Your Productivity and... Read More
My colleague, Jane, recently lamented to me an all too... Read More
It seems so long ago that I started my first... Read More
How far away is the person you need to meet?We... Read More
When small businesses fail, the wreckage is often assigned to... Read More
How do marine type businesses start? Have you ever thought... Read More
If you run a pressure washing company in a rural... Read More
If you've been considering incorporating your small business, you've probably... Read More
Some of the greatest words of wisdom for any man... Read More
Many small business startups fail within the first 2 years... Read More
It's Monday morning and Connie the Consultant sits in her... Read More
In the world today, many people are further in debt... Read More
As a Boat Detailing Specialist, you may want to offer... Read More
The efficiency of debt collection is the difference between a... Read More
Perhaps you are building a new home office or you... Read More
We are noticing an increase in the length of time... Read More
Sometimes the simple businesses are the ones, which make good... Read More
One major issue not being addressed right now in the... Read More
As stability emerges in the Middle East there will be... Read More
Everything starts with a business plan: If you don't have... Read More
Many government department heads are on the take. Oh they'll... Read More
In a perfect world, starting a small business would be... Read More
One of the first things you will need to set... Read More
If you've been thinking about starting a business, but are... Read More
In the summer, I can't drive two blocks without seeing... Read More
Franchising Directory Sites-Paid Advertising, Lead Generation for FranchisingFranchising Directory Sites... Read More
Every employee would like to earn as high a salary... Read More
Summer is a time for the outdoors, for that well-deserved... Read More
Which questions do you need to ask to even get... Read More
I have to admit, I was curious. When I saw... Read More
What is in an information plan?Before you even meet with... Read More
Small Business |