Managers: Let's Call a Spade a Spade!

By Robert A. Kelly

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Robert A. Kelly © 2005.

Managers: Let’s Call a Spade a Spade!

by Robert A. Kelly

Brochures, broadcast plugs and press releases – don’t
call them public relations. Call them what they really
are, valuable tactical devices which public relations
calls upon from time to time to move a message from
here to there.

Nothing more, nothing less, and certainly not public
relations’ Mother strategy which (1), marshalls the
resources and action planning needed to alter individual
perception leading to changed behaviors among a
business, non-profit,or association’s most important
outside audiences. And (2), goes on to help a manager
persuade those key folks to his or her way of thinking,
then (3) moves them to take actions that allow their
department, group, division or subsidiary to succeed.

The management reality behind such an achievement
is the underlying premise of 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.

The good news for those managers is that the right
public relations planning really CAN alter individual
perception and lead to changed behaviors among key
outside audiences.


You may be such a manager. If you are, try to
remember that your PR effort must demand more
than special events, news releases and talk show
tactics if you are to receive the quality public
relations results you deserve.

You’ll be glad you took such a step when capital givers
or specifying sources beginning to look your way;
customers begin to make repeat purchases; membership
applications start to rise; 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;
new (and very ) welcome bounces in show room visits
occur; prospects actually start to do business with you;
and community leaders begin to seek you out.

Your public relations professionals can be of real use
for your new opinion monitoring project because they
are already in the perception and behavior business.
But be certain that the PR staff really accepts why it’s
SO important to know how your most important outside
audiences perceive your operations, products or services.
Above all, be sure they believe that perceptions almost
always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your
operation.

Go over your plans with them for monitoring and
gathering perceptions by questioning members of your
most important outside audiences. Ask 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?

The cost of using professional survey firms to do the
opinion gathering work will be considerably more than
using those PR folks of yours, who are already in the
perception business, in that monitoring capacity. But
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.

It’s time to establish a goal calling for action on
the most serious problem areas you uncovered
during your key audience perception monitoring.
Will it be to straighten out that dangerous
misconception? Correct that gross inaccuracy? Or,
stop that potentially painful rumor cold?

It goes without saying that setting your PR goal
requires an equally specific strategy that tells you
how to get there. Only three strategic options are
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. The wrong strategy pick will
taste like pancake syrup on your Finan Haddie, so
be sure 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.

Here, good writing comes to the fore. You must
prepare a persuasive message that will help move
your key audience to your way of thinking. It
must be a carefully-written message targeted
directly at your key external audience. Select your
very best writer because s/he must come up with
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.

At this point, you must select the communications
tactics most likely to carry your message to the
attention of your target audience. 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 credibility of any message is fragile and
always up for grabs, how you communicate is a
concern. Which is why you may wish to unveil your
corrective message before smaller meetings and
presentations rather than using higher-profile news
releases.

Inevitably, the need for a progress report will cause
you to begin a second perception monitoring session
with members of your external audience. You’ll
want to use many of the same questions used in
the benchmark session. But now, you will be on
strict alert for signs that the bad news perception
is being altered in your direction.

A source of comfort for you, should program
momentum slow, will be the fact that you can always
speed things up by adding more communications
tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.

Calling tactical devices just that, avoids confusing
them with the broader, more comprehensive
mission known as public relations. A mission that
allows managers of all stripes to alter individual
perception in a way that leads to changed behaviors
among key outside audiences, thus insuring the
success of that manager’s operation.

end




About the author:
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
200 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




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