So Many Managers Doubt PR's Value
by Robert A Kelly
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And what they probably are not getting are the quality public relations results they deserve, and the best that public relations has to offer.
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So Many Managers Doubt PR's Value
As business, non-profit, government agency or association
managers, what they'll tell you they DO know is, "PR is pretty
much all about press releases, broadcast plugs, brochures
and special events."
And that's too bad.
Because what those managers are missing is ANY recognition
that strategic public relations could lead directly to achieving
their unit's managerial objectives. Presumably their primary
concern!
They appear unaware that, along the way, they would be doing
something really significant about the behaviors of those
important outside audiences that MOST affect the department,
group, division or subsidiary unit they manage.
They seem equally unaware that they would then be in a
position to persuade those key external audiences to their
way of thinking, moving them to take actions that allow that
manager's own unit to succeed.
I suspect those managers have heard about public relations
missions biased towards simple tactics, thus denying them
the best that public relations has to offer.
Again, that's too bad.
What they require is first-class public relations planning that
really CAN alter individual perception resulting in changed
behaviors among key outside audiences. But that only happens
when they demand more than just communications tactics.
That's when they'll receive the quality public relations results
they deserve.
When managers adopt such an approach to public relations,
the desired end-products usually soon emerge. For instance,
prospects begin to do business with you; membership
applications start to rise; welcome bounces in show room
visits occur; customers start to make repeat purchases;
capital givers or specifying sources begin to look your
way; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures
start showing up; politicians and legislators begin looking
at you as a key member of the business, non-profit or
association communities; and community leaders start to
seek you out.
Obviously, there's a highly proactive premise undergirding
this approach to public relations, to wit: 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.
The public relations people on your staff are positioned to
help you achieve your managerial objectives. They're
already in the perception and behavior business and can
be of real use for your new opinion monitoring project. But
be certain those PR folks really accept why it's SO
important to know how your most important outside
audiences perceive your operations, products or services.
And this is really important: be sure they believe that
perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can
help or hurt your operation.
Better take the time to sit down and review your new PR
plan with those public relations professionals, be they
agency, staff or parent. Discuss how you will monitor and
gather perceptions by questioning members of your most
important outside audiences. Suggest asking questions like
these: 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 may conclude that you should pursue your key
audience data with a professional survey firm. But be
cautious because that course of action may require more
expense than using those PR folks of yours in that monitoring
capacity. However, regardless of whether it's 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.
Of course you must set a realistic public relations goal which
addresses the most serious problem areas uncovered during your
key audience perception monitoring. And it must be both
realistic and achievable. For example, will your goal be to
straighten out a dangerous misconception? Correct a gross
inaccuracy? Or, stop a potentially painful rumor before it
does more damage?
A matching strategy will be just what the doctor ordered.
But you have just three strategic options available to you
when it comes to solving perception and opinion problems.
Change existing perception, create perception where there
may be none, or reinforce it. Because the wrong strategy
pick will taste like pork gravy on your white bean salad,
be certain your new strategy fits well with your new public
relations goal. You certainly don't want to select "change"
when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.
If there's any magic to public relations, it's writing
persuasive messages. And the goal is almost always
moving a key audience to your way of thinking, so that
the resulting behaviors will be to your liking. But such
a message must be carefully written, and aimed directly
at that key external audience. Get your best writer on
this job because s/he must produce language that is not
merely compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear
and factual if it is to shift perception/opinion towards
your point of view and lead to the behaviors you have
in mind.
Now that your perception-moving message is ready
to go, you and your people must wade through a wide
selection of communications tactics. They range from
speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to
consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters,
personal meetings and many others. But be sure the
tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like
your audience members.
Reminder: the way you communicate your message will
bear heavily on its believability, always fragile at best.
Which is why, initially, you may wish to unveil your
corrective message before smaller meetings and
presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases.
Obviously, to show how far the program has come in
impacting perception, and thus behaviors, a second
perception monitoring session will be needed. The result
will be your first progress report and, happily, you can
use many of the same questions used in your benchmark
session. Only difference now, you'll be watching for
signs that the bad news perception is being altered in
your direction.
No program can keep running at 90 miles per hour, so
if yours slows down, either add more communications
tactics, or increase their frequencies, or both.
No, public relations is not "pretty much all about press
releases, broadcast plugs, brochures and special events."
It IS all about achieving an organization's operating
objectives. And in the process doing something really
significant about the behaviors of those important outside
audiences that MOST affect the organization, then
persuading them to the unit's way of thinking, and
moving them to take actions that allow the organization
to succeed.
In that way, you get both the quality public relations
results you deserve, and the best that public relations
has to offer
end
Bob Kelly counsels and writes for business, non-profit and
association managers about using the fundamental premise of public
relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has published over
230 articles on the subject which are listed at EzineArticles.com, click
Expert Author, click Robert A. Kelly. 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.
mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:www.PRCommentary.com
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 published 237 articles on the subject of public relations which are listed at EzineArticles.com, click ExpertAuthor, click Robert A. Kelly. 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.
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