Avoiding PR's Biggest Pitfall by:Robert A. Kelly
Falling victim to this #1 pitfall is the business
, non-profit,government agency and association manager who fails
to achieve the best that public relations has to offer.
And that's because he or she is preoccupied with simple
communications tactics like press releases, broadcast
plugs, special events and brochures.
So severe is the preoccupation with PR tactics that such
a manager actually fails to do something really positive
about the behaviors of those important outside audiences
that most affect his or her operation.
And if that is not alarming enough, he/she then compounds
matters by overlooking the creation of stakeholder
behavior CHANGE that leads directly to achieving their
managerial objectives.
The sad result is that such managers fail both to persuade
those key outside folks to their way of thinking, AND to
move them to take actions that allow their department,
division, group or subsidiary to succeed.
Now that really IS public relation's biggest pitfall!
But it needn't be that way when managers base their
public relations planning on its underlying premise:
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.
Implicit in that premise is this reality: public relations
planning really CAN alter individual perception and
result in changed behaviors among key outside
audiences. But you'll only get there when your PR
demands more than special events, news releases,
and brochures. Only then will you receive the quality
public relations results you deserve.
But what kind of results? Here are a few: new prospects
actually start to do business with you; 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; politicians and legislators
begin looking at you as a key member of the business,
non-profit or association communities; customers begin
to make repeat purchases; capital givers or specifying
sources begin to look your way; or membership
applications start to rise.
Because they're already in the perception and behavior
business, look first to your public relations professionals
for your new opinion monitoring project. 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.
Essentially, be sure they believe that perceptions almost
always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your
operation.
Spend a period of time with them going over your plans
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 use of professional survey firms to do the
opinion gathering work can run up your costs way
beyond the expense of using those PR folks of
yours 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.
Of course no program succeeds without a clearcut,
realistic goal. And it must be a goal calling for action
on the most serious problem areas you uncovered
during your key audience perception monitoring.
You might decide to stop that potentially painful
rumor cold. Or straighten out that dangerous
misconception? Or correct that gross inaccuracy?
The reality is that you cannot set your PR goal
without linking it to an equally specific strategy
that tells you how to get there. Fact is, 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. The wrong strategy pick will taste like Crme
Brulee on your Kosher pickles. 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.
Good writing, of course, is a core aptitude for
public relations people. And sure enough, here,
the best writer on your team will have to 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 that 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.
Now we move to what some practitioners feel
comprise the "fun" part of PR action programming
- 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.
As you probably know, the "believability" of any
message is fragile and always suspect. The means
by which you communicate should always be a
concern. Which is why you may wish to unveil your
corrective message before smaller meetings through
presentations rather than using higher-profile news
releases.
You must take suggestions for progress reports as
a cue 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.
Because any action program can suffer slowdown
periods, please be aware that you can always speed
things up by adding more communications tactics
as well as increasing their frequencies.
Above all, do keep your eye on the core of this
approach to public relations. Namely, persuade your
most important outside audiences with the greatest
impacts on your organization to your way of thinking.
Then move them to take actions that help your
department, group, division or subsidiary prevail.
end
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 1215 including guidelines and resource box.
Robert A. Kelly 2006.
About the author
Robert A. Kelly
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 , 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
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