How can business, non-profit, government agency or association managers NOT be joyful about deploying a high-impact action plan which does something meaningful about the behaviors of those important outside audiences that MOST affect their organizations? Particularly when they create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving their managerial objectives; in particular by persuading those key outside folks to the managers way of thinking by helping move audience members to take actions that allow the managers department, group, division or subsidiary to succeed. Still, many such managers remain stuck in a tactical world wholly preoccupied with simple mechanics like press releases, broadcast plugs, special events and brochures. The high point of their day occurs when a message is successfully moved from here to there, unfortunately denying that manager the best that public relations has to offer. On the other hand, the good news underpinning PRs premise is the fact that good public relations planning really CAN alter individual perception and result in changed behaviors among key outside audiences. Achievable, incidentally, only when you as a manager require more than news releases, special events and broadcast plugs. When that happens, you should receive the quality public relations results you deserve. The public relations premise itself goes this way: 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 usually accomplished. Results from this approach to public relations are usually not slow in coming: new prospects actually start to do business with you; politicians and legislators begin looking at you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities; capital givers or specifying sources begin to look your way; welcome bounces in show room visits occur; community leaders begin to seek you out; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures start showing up; customers begin to make repeat purchases; and membership applications start to rise. Because your public relations professionals for the new opinion monitoring project are already in the perception and behavior business, look first to them to manage your data gathering activity. But be certain that the PR staff really accepts why its SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Essentially, be sure they believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your operation. Carve out the time you need to analyze your plans for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Suggest 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? Are you familiar with our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures? Your cost of calling in a professional survey firm to do the opinion gathering work, can exceed the expense of using those PR folks of yours in that monitoring capacity. But whether its your people or a survey firm asking the questions, the objective remains the same: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors. Front and center now is establishing a clearcut and realistic PR goal calling for action on the most serious problem areas you uncovered during your key audience perception monitoring. You may decide to straighten out that dangerous misconception, bring to an end that potentially painful rumor, or correct that gross inaccuracy. At the same time, youre going to have to connect your goal to an equally action-oriented strategy that shows how to get to where youre going. Actually, you have just three strategic options available to you when it comes to doing something about perception and opinion. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Needless to say, the wrong strategy pick will taste like sauerkraut on your creamed spinach. So be sure your new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You certainly dont want to select change when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement. Nows the time to task the best writer on your team to get ready to prepare a persuasive message that will help move your key audience to your way of thinking. It has to be a carefully-written message targeted directly at your key external audience. Your writer must produce some really corrective language that is not merely 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. Whats to carry your message to the attention of your target audience? The right communications tactics will do the job, and there are many available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members. Since the means by which you communicate is always a concern because its credibility is fragile and always suspect, you may wish to unveil your corrective message initially before smaller meetings through presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases. Youll want to compare where you are now against the starting point to show the progress youve made. First, youll be demonstrating, in the form of periodic progress reports, how the monies spent on public relations can pay off. However, its also an alert to start a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Here, youll use many of the same questions used in the benchmark interviews. But now, you will be on strict alert for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction. You also should anticipate periodic slowdowns in momentum. Luckily, adding more communications tactics, and/or increasing their frequencies, usually solves that problem. Yes, there should be a ration of managerial joy when a high-impact PR action plan is deployed which does something meaningful about the behaviors of any managers important outside audiences that seriously affect his or her organization. Especially joyful, incidentally, when s/he is no longer preoccupied primarily with the simple mechanics of press releases, broadcast plugs and special events. 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 1210 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly 2006. |
