When times are tough, it's no time to ignore those external audiences whose behaviors matter so much to your organization.
In your own best interest, are you seeing to their care and feeding? I mean, if a certain group of outsiders behaves in ways that really help or hinder your operations, they do rate your attention, right?
Of course they do! That's why we call them key target audiences, or publics. Either way, what they think about you, then how they behave, can support or derail the best laid plans.
Why take any chances?
Make a list of those important external audiences and put them in priority order. Then pick #1 and let's go to work.
Since it's their perceptions that lead to behaviors, you must get inside their heads. That means monitoring members of that key audience and asking lots of questions to determine what they think about you and your operation.
Watch for rumors. And for negativity. Misconceptions and misunderstandings involving your products, services and pricing should be pursued in those conversations.
With that kind of data in hand, you are able to establish the public relations goal. Namely, correct that misconception, or neutralize that rumor, or clarify that fuzziness about your services.
Goals are certainly necessary, but they need a strategy that shows HOW you will alter those worrisome perceptions. In this business, we have just three possible strategies: create opinion (perceptions) where none exist, change existing opinion, or reinforce it.
Obviously, you will select the strategy that leads directly to achieving your public relations goal.
Now the tough part. What will you communicate to members of your #1 target audience? Your message is key to the success of your public relations effort.
It must be clear as crystal as to what needs to be clarified or neutralized. It must be obvious that the message is truthful, authoritative and compelling. In short, it must deliver a specific message about what is being corrected.
What do you do with the message? As with a bullet in a rifle, you pull the trigger. Or, to mix metaphors, you call in the "beasts of burden," communications tactics, to carry your message directly to members of that key target audience.
You're fortunate that there are piles of communications tactics just waiting for you - the Internet, broadcast appearances, press releases, brochures, seminars, personal meetings, special events, emailings, and on and on.
Sooner rather than later, you're going to want some signs that your public relations program is working. And that means Remonitoring that target audience, again asking lots of questions and seeking evidence that a misconception has been corrected, an inaccuracy cleared up, or a rumor explained away.
If that is the result of your REmonitoring drill, your public relations program has succeeded.
Should your remonitoring not yield those results, you will need to adjust your communications tactics to produce a broader mix of "weapons" going against that audience. You may also decide to increase the frequencies of your tactics. Your message, of course, must be reevaluated for clarity, emphases and factual support.
Handling public relations this way, you're moving in the right direction because you're mobilizing your most important external audiences in support of YOUR goals and objectives.
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: bobkelly@tni.net; bobkelly@tni.net
Culver prom limo ..How do you make a good relationship with a newspaper... Read More
Your important outside audiences behave in ways that stop you... Read More
As a manager, does your current business, non-profit or association... Read More
Yes, you can call a reporter.I've said it before, in... Read More
The message is determined by analyzing the brand being marketed,... Read More
So, you've had your book published or you've gone the... Read More
Writing an effective press release is a way to draw... Read More
What is the true purpose of public relations and how... Read More
Why, public relations that stays true to its fundamental premise,... Read More
Looking to get your name into a magazine? You need... Read More
Stripped down to its core, publicity is little more than... Read More
Just like a financial planning client fears not having enough... Read More
Receiving free advertising is the dream of most business people.... Read More
And show it for what it is - a humdinger... Read More
To get someone's name in the newspaper or a product... Read More
Although repetition is extremely important, there are times when advertising... Read More
When do you use the newspaper for publishing announcements for... Read More
As small businesses we have an opportunity and an obligation... Read More
Above all, you need to know that the right PR... Read More
Say, from tactics like special events, brochures and press releases... Read More
NOTE: Brad Phillips was a Producer for CNN's The Capital... Read More
You are a senior business, non-profit or association manager. So,... Read More
Something that results in your most important outside audiences doing... Read More
How to write a press release that generates free publicity... Read More
True, because department, division or subsidiary managers for a business,... Read More
Wood Dale limo ..Andrew Bogut, the Australian basketballer is now officially in the... Read More
A press release is often your only chance to make... Read More
Yes? Then do something positive about the behaviors of those... Read More
Public relations is the art, as one of my colleagues... Read More
Managers ? the business, non-profit and association sort ? really... Read More
Stripped down to its core, publicity is little more than... Read More
Every organization has issues that could affect its operation. The... Read More
Because PR can be difficult to control, it is often... Read More
As an owner of an independent record label, I often... Read More
What's more crucial to the success of a business, non-profit... Read More
Relationships are based on trust-not just romantic relationships, or doctor/patient... Read More
The practice of public relations is often misunderstood, thus overlooked... Read More
You know, where you do something positive about the behaviors... Read More
Managers in the non-profit, association and business worlds need to... Read More
Often the first point of contact the media has with... Read More
What's REALLY potent for a business, non-profit or association manager... Read More
1) Do you NEED solid, consistant media exposure...week after week,... Read More
THE TWO MINUTES UNDERDOGEdward Everett was one of the most... Read More
Simply that the behaviors of their most important outside audiences... Read More
What else, for goodness sake, could you as a business,... Read More
For a business, non-profit or association manager, they could be... Read More
Sure, as a manager, you have a talented member of... Read More
You won't be if you accept a very simple premise.... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, you have a... Read More
Strong for business, non-profit and association managers when they use... Read More
Public Relations |