As a business, non-profit, government agency or association manager, are you satisfied with using a collection of communications tactics to move a message from one point to another. You know, creating print and broadcast exposures? Publicity, if you will? No problem, if thats all you believe you really need. But, have you ever thought about pulling out all the PR stops to help achieve your units managerial objectives? I mean, you COULD do something really significant about those important outside audience behaviors that MOST affect the department, group, division or subsidiary unit you manage. Then take advantage of the perception levels youve achieved as those key external audiences of yours become persuaded to your managerial way of thinking. And, for that matter, once youve persuaded a number of members of that key external audience to your views on the issue in question, watch their perceptions closely as they morph into behavioral actions that allow your unit to succeed. That might even make your day! And its all very doable. But not if you insist on limiting your offensive public relations effort to simply creating print and broadcast exposures. Instead, you should be preparing to do something positive about the behaviors of the very outside audiences of yours that MOST affect your operation. Because thats when public relations can actually create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving those key managerial objectives of yours. Thus your real managerial opportunity arises when it becomes painfully obvious that counterproductive behaviors by target audiences are the direct result of negative perceptions about your organization or its services, products or personnel. Suddenly, it becomes clear why you have to monitor opinion among members of your most important outside audiences to (1) determine how they perceive your organization; (2) to identify and prioritize your public relations goals; (3) to create and communicate corrective messages to those key outside audiences and (4), to carefully monitor how and when those perceptions inevitably convert to the key audience behaviors you know, as manager, you need. In brief, what you really require is an action-based blueprint that leans on you to do some meaningful things about the behaviors of those important outside audiences that MOST affect your operation; to create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives; and to do so by persuading those key outside folks to your views, then help move them to take actions that allow your department, group, division or subsidiary to succeed. You can count on the underlying premise of this kind of managerial public relations: 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. A variety of results are possible when you work public relations this way: customers making repeat purchases; a rebound in showroom visits; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; membership applications on the rise; improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies; capital givers or specifying sources looking your way; fresh community service and sponsorship opportunities; prospects starting to work with you, and even stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities. It always pays off when you clear some time for planning meetings with your public relations people. For example, get their input on your plans to monitor and gather perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Suggest queries along these lines: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the exchange? Are you familiar with our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures? You might also reinforce your confidence in the PR team by insuring that they really accept why its SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services? And do you believe THEY believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your operation? This is essential to PR success. One of the facts of life in dealing with opinion polling matters, is that things often go better when a professional survey firm helps monitor your key audiences perceptions. But real pros cost real money, compared to using your existing public relations staff who, while they ARE already in the perception and behavior business, also cost money. But whether its your people or a survey firm asking the questions, the objective remains the same: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconception and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors. Setting your public relations goal is the tip of the spear. Your new PR goal should call for action on the most serious problem areas you uncovered during your key audience perception monitoring. You may, for example, decide to straighten out that dangerous misconception, bring to an end that potentially painful rumor, or correct that terrible inaccuracy. Seldom can public relations people, or most other managers for that matter, establish a new PR goal without the support of an action-oriented strategy. If, that is, you are to know HOW to get to where youre going. Plus, remember that 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 fish sauce on your grilled quail. So be sure your new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You certainly dont want to pursue change when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement. Recruit the best writer on your team to prepare a carefully -written message targeted directly at your key external audience. To move that key audience to your way of thinking, s/he 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. Carefully selected communications tactics (and there are many such available) will be needed to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. You may pick from such time-honored devices as 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. As opening day approaches, you may want to partially neutralize any opposition to your message by unveiling your corrective message before smaller meetings rather than using higher profile news releases or broadcast announcements. Reason is, a messages credibility can be fragile and often suspect, depending on how it is delivered. Its always a satisfying feeling when you can illustrate how the monies spent on public relations can pay off. Thats why the time needed to prepare and distribute progress reports is time well invested. They are, however, also your 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. Only difference now is, you will be on strict alert for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction. If you feel impatient with the programs rate of progress, you always have the prerogative of adding more communications tactics, and/or increasing their frequencies to address that problem. In essence, making sure you get the right managerial public relations requires that you resolve to do something about the behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect your operation; to create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives; and to do so by persuading those key outside folks to your way of thinking by helping move them to take actions that allow your department, group, division or subsidiary unit to succeed. Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. Only requirements: you must use the Robert A. Kelly byline, and resource box. Robert A. Kelly 2006. |
