News releases are not the best way to get major media coverage, but they can be used to increase the frequency with which your company name appears in the press.

Press releases will get you coverage in set features like business notes, and new personnel columns. They also provide a good way to let allies, employees and customers know what you are doing. For these purposes, post releases on the company website, send out by e-mail, or distribute by one of the services like PR Newswire or PR Web.

Here is a quick list of 33 possible reasons for you to write and distribute a news release.

* New Products

* Business Start-Up

* Partnership

* Strategic Alliances

* New Or Innovative Business Strategy

* Restructuring The Company

* Going Public/Going Private

* Company Comeback From Adversity

* New Employees

* Important Executive Retiring/Resigning

* Executives Comment On Business/Economic Trends

* Employee Promotions

* New Branch Offices

* New Divisions Established

* Headquarters Relocating

* Research Results Announcement

* Major Anniversary

* Major New Client Acquisition

* Company Revenue, Sales or Profit Growth

* Company Name Change

* Winning Major Awards Or Receiving National Recognition

* Company Presenting An Award

* Receiving Important Accreditation or Certification

* Holding Free Seminar or Workshop

* Employee Appointed To Civic/Government/Professional Board

* Availability Of Guest Articles Or White Papers

* Issuing A Position Statement On Topical Subject

* Free Consumer Information Available

* Company Speakers Bureau

* Company Philanthropic Support

* Major Company Milestone

* New Board of Directors

* New Website

Harry Hoover is managing principal of Hoover ink PR. He has 26 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Brent Dees Financial Planning, Focus Four, Levolor, New World Mortgage, North Carolina Tourism, TeamHeidi, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX, Verbatim and Youth Link USA.

You bet!

Especially for business, non-profit and association managers who REALLY need to persuade their key outside audiences to their way of thinking. Then move them to behaviors that lead to the success of their department, division or subsidiary.

Could this be you? If so, you may need to reduce your emphasis on tactical public relations weaponry with its simple print and broadcast mentions.

And instead, use a broader, more comprehensive and workable public relations blueprint to alter your key external audience perceptions – perceptions that deliver the changed behaviors you need to achieve your managerial goals.

Why go to this much trouble?

Because of the possible results, of course. Results like new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; customers making repeat purchases; prospects starting to work with you; membership applications on the rise; capital givers or specifying sources looking your way, and even bounces in showroom visits.

But, what about that core PR blueprint that gets everyone working towards the same external audience behaviors, and that insures that your organization’s public relations effort stays sharply focused?

Try this on for size: 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 accomplished.

Just what will you do with such a plan?

Well, find out who among your key external audiences is behaving in ways that help or hinder the achievement of your objectives. Then, list them according to how severely their behaviors affect your organization.

But what do members of that key outside audience think about your organization? If the budget to pay for what could be costly professional survey counsel isn’t there, you and your PR colleagues will have to monitor those perceptions yourselves. Actually, they should be quite familiar with perception and behavior matters.

Best way to get that handled is to meet with members of that outside audience asking questions like “Are you familiar with our services or products?” “Have you ever had contact with anyone from our organization? Was it a satisfactory experience?” And if you are that manager, you must be sensitive to negative statements, especially evasive or hesitant replies. And watch carefully for false assumptions, untruths, misconceptions, inaccuracies and potentially damaging rumors. When you find such, they will need to be corrected, as they inevitably lead to negative behaviors.

Now we select the specific perception to be altered which then becomes your public relations goal. You obviously want to correct those untruths, inaccuracies, misconceptions or false assumptions.

Here we go with the strategy. Fact is that a PR goal without a strategy to show you how to get there, is like clam chowder without the clams. So, as you select one of three strategies available to you (and especially constructed to create perception or opinion where there may be none, or change or reinforce it,) what you want to do is insure that the goal and its strategy match each other. You wouldn’t want to select “change existing perception” when current perception is just right suggesting a “reinforce” strategy.

O.K., it’s writing time – time to prepare a compelling message carefully constructed to alter your key target audience’s perception, as specified by your public relations goal.

Fortunately, when you distribute it, you can always put your corrective message together with another news announcement or presentation which may serve to downplay the apparent need for such a correction.

The message conveyed must be compelling and crystal-clear as to what perception needs clarification or correction, and why. Of course you must be truthful and your position logically explained and believable if it is to hold the attention of members of that target audience, and actually move perception in your direction.

Occasionally, you’ll hear the communications tactics needed to move your message to the attention of that key external audience, referred to as “beasts of burden” because they must carry your persuasive new thoughts to the eyes and ears of those important outside people.

Actually, you have a wide choice because the list of tactics is lengthy. Included are letters-to-the-editor, brochures, press releases and speeches. Or, you might choose radio and newspaper interviews, personal contacts, facility tours or customer briefings. There are scores available and the only selection requirement is that the communications tactics you choose have a record of reaching people just like the members of your key target audience.

Again fortunately, things can always be hurried along by adding more communications tactics, AND by increasing their frequencies.

Those around you will soon be asking about progress. But by that time, you will already be hard at work remonitoring perceptions among your target audience members to test the effectiveness of your communications tactics. Using questions similar to those used during your earlier monitoring session, you’ll now look closely for signs that audience perceptions are beginning to move towards your position.

Yes, I believe this IS the way to run your PR, in particular when you are doing something about the behaviors of those important outside audiences that most affect your operation….when you are creating the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives….and when you are doing so by persuading those key outside folks to their way of thinking by helping to move them to take actions that allow your department, division or subsidiary to succeed.

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 mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net. Word count is 1030 including guidelines and resource box.

Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

About The Author

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 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.

mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net

Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

The public relations bar, should such a proficiency measure ever come about, may well include a test of PR’s fundamental 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.

And the premise should be tested because it’s of such utility to many business, non-profit and association managers in achieving their managerial objectives. They use the right public relations to alter individual perception leading to changed behaviors among their key outside audiences.

In other words, they do something positive about the behaviors of those important external audiences, then persuade those key outsiders to their way of thinking, then move them to take actions that allow their department, group, division or subsidiary succeed.

What that approach does is let those managers avoid over concentration on tactics such as fun-to-manage special events, press releases and brochures. Instead, they focus resources on the very external folks who may hold their professional success as a manager in their hands.

A variety of results can occur — membership applications on the rise; customers starting to make repeat purchases; fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; community leaders beginning to seek you out; welcome bounces in show room visits; prospects starting to do business with you; higher employee retention rates, capital givers or specifying sources beginning to look your way, and even politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.

Can you say your PR team really gets it? Will they understand the blueprint outlined above and will they show commitment to its implementation, starting with key audience perception monitoring? As luck would have it, your PR people are already in the perception and behavior business, so they should be of real use for this initial opinion monitoring project. Be certain that your public relations people really accept why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Make sure they believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.

Sit down with them and review your public relations plan. Talk it over with them, especially your game plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions along these lines: 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?

You may feel its best to use professional survey firms to do the opinion monitoring work, but that can run into real money. So you may wish to use those PR folks of yours in that capacity since they’re already in the perception and persuasion business. 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.

Since you need a PR goal that does something about the most serious distortions you discover during your key audience perception monitoring, you must now answer these questions. Is the purpose of this drill to straighten out that dangerous misconception? Correct that gross inaccuracy? Stop that potentially painful rumor cold? Or something else?

With your PR goal in hand, you now must pursue the right strategy to tell you how to proceed, or you won’t reach that goal at all. But keep in mind that there are just three strategic options available 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 beef bouillion on your Canoli, so be sure your new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You wouldn’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.

Next product on the assembly line is a well-crafted message to be sent to members of your target audience. It’s difficult to create an actionable message that will help persuade any audience to your way of thinking. What you want now is your strongest writers because s/he must build some very special, corrective language. Words that are 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.

Moving right along with the PR problem solving sequence, we find those communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. There are scores that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But you must be certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks like your audience members.

Should you wish to avoid too loud a voice with this kind of “corrective” message, you might unveil it during smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases, as the credibility of any message is fragile and always at stake.

Around this time, someone will mention “progress reports,” which will be your signal 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 first benchmark session. But now, you will be on red alert for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

Should you notice a slackening pace, your program can be accelerated simply by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.

Passing the PR bar – should it ever become necessary – will suggest that the people you deal with behave like everyone else – they act upon their perceptions of the facts they hear about you and your operation. Which, in turn, will suggest that you are constantly planning to do something positive about the behaviors of those key external audiences of yours, thus helping you achieve your managerial 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 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.

Mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net

Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

Strong for business, non-profit and association managers when they use the fundamental premise of public relations to produce external stakeholder behavior change – the kind that leads directly to achieving their managerial objectives.

And strong when they do something positive about the behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect their organization.

And finally, if this is you, really strong when you persuade those important outside folks to your way of thinking, then move them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed.

On the other hand, not so strong when you limit your PR activity pretty much to placing product and service plugs on radio and in newspapers. In short, your public relations effort really must involve more than press releases, brochures and special events if you are to get your PR money’s worth.

The fundamental premise of public relations says as much: 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 accomplished.

The strength of that blueprint can appear in results like these: new thoughtleader and special event contacts; membership applications on the rise; new community service and sponsorship opportunities; prospects starting to work with you; new feedback channels; customers making repeat purchases; stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities; improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; promotional contest overtures; enhanced activist group relations; capital givers or specifying sources looking your way, and even a rebound in showroom visits.

But first, the division of labor. Just who is going to do the work? Your own full-time public relations staff? People assigned to your unit by a parent organization? An outside PR agency team? Regardless of where they come from, they must be committed to you as the senior project manager, to the PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with key audience perception monitoring.

An alert. Just because someone describes him/herself as a public relations person doesn’t mean they’ve bought the whole loaf of bread. Be sure the PR people assigned to your unit really believe why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Make sure they accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Trace out the PR blueprint for them, especially your plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. 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? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

If you can afford the considerable expense of a professional survey firm, by all means use it in the perception monitoring phases of your program. But keep in mind that your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

Now you establish a PR goal that stands a good chance of doing something about the most serious distortions you discovered during your key audience perception monitoring. It could be to straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or stop that potentially fatal rumor dead in its tracks.

And, of course, you must have the right strategy, one that clearly shows you how to proceed. Please note that there are only three strategic options available to you when it comes to handling a perception and opinion challenge. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Since the wrong strategy pick will taste like capers on your strawberry shortcake, be certain the new strategy fits comfortably with your new public relations goal. You don’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Here, the PR staff must prepare a powerful message and aim it at members of your target audience. As is usually the case, crafting action-forcing language to persuade an audience to your way of thinking is hard work. Which is why your crew must create some very special, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual. Only in this way will you be able to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the behaviors you are targeting.

I’d run it by my PR colleagues for impact and persuasiveness. Then, fine-tune it before selecting the communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. You can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

As you know, the credibility of a message is often dependent on the means used to deliver it. So you may wish to unveil it before smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases. It won’t be long before calls for progress reports are heard. This tells you and your PR team to start work on a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. Difference this time is that you will be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

Should the program’s momentum flag, you can simply accelerate matters by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.

Yes, what you really want the new PR plan to do, is to persuade your most important outside stakeholders to your way of thinking, then move them to behave in a way that leads to the success of your department, division or subsidiary.

Indeed, this could be the strongest public relations on the planet.

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 1175 including guidelines and resource box.

Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

About The Author

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 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.

mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net

Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

Is your business looking for new and creative ways to gain publicity and build your customer base? Partnering with non profit organizations may benefit your business in many ways.

Why business owners and managers should consider supporting non profits as part of their marketing strategy:

1. Advertising opportunities are usually offered when non profit organizations request corporate sponsorship. Types of advertising may include a business card size ad in a program, a sign at an event, or your business name mentioned in radio or TV ads.

2. Partnering with non profits increases public relations and a general feeling of goodwill toward your company.

3. Participating in the planning of non profit events, attending an event, or volunteering your time increases your opportunities to meet potential customers.

4. Finally, there are tax breaks for donating money to a charitable cause. Check with your accountant for more details.

There are many ways that business owners can partner with non profit organizations in order to reach more potential customers.

Volunteering Your Time

Volunteering your time to help a non profit cause will give you an opportunity to develop relationships with non profit leaders and volunteers. You can work on volunteer committees, planning events, or even just stuffing envelopes. How about donating an hour or two to man the phones for MDA on labor day weekend, a public television drive or another telethon? How about staffing a booth at a school carnival? Savvy business people see such volunteer activities as opportunities to connect with other business people, network and build relationships with potential clients.

Donating Merchandise

Many non profit groups hold live and silent auctions or need door prizes for their events. This is an opportunity for you to show potential clients your merchandise or sample your services. This strategy works well for many types of businesses, here’s some examples:

A photographer donates a gift certificate AND loans the NPO a large scale portrait from their portfolio. Even if someone does not win the gift certificate, they may be impressed with your style of photography and call to set up an appointment anyway!

Restaurants have an easy way out on this one! Donate a gift certificate to the non profit organization. The receiver gets to sample your food, service and atmosphere. Who knows, you may have just gained a customer for life!

Financial Donations

Donating a financial gift to a charity of your choice may have advertising and tax benefits as discussed earlier.

Attending Non Profit Events

Charities host a variety of fun events such as arts festivals, dinners, galas, casino nights and auctions. Participating in a charity fundraiser or other event will give you an easy way to donate financially to the group. Events also provide time to build relationships with other business people and potential clients, in a fun relaxed environment.

Donating Facilities

Does your company have a gym, banquet facility or auditorium? By donating or offering a reduced rate to non profit organizations, you may receive great public relations and word of mouth advertising benefits in return.

Here’s a great example: A bowling center in Florida offers their facility for students to hold a bowl-a-thon. Students get per pin pledges prior to the event. According to owner, Lisa Ciniello, “The Bowling Centers do not make a lot of money, but we encourage these events as it gives great exposure. In our locations we charge $5.00 to $8.00 per student and no charge for rental shoes.”

Connecting With Your Community

One of the best ways to find opportunities to donate to non profits and network with other business leaders is to join a civic club or chamber of commerce. These organizations meet 1-4 times per month in your local city. They usually have a small list of favorite charities or support their own foundations.

The civic clubs that you may want to consider joining include Optimist International, Kiwanis International or Business & Professional Women.

Finally, partnering with non profit organizations gives your business a way to reach out to the local community. Your business can contribute to the greater good and help many people, just by joining forces with charitable organizations.

About the Author: Sandra Sims has been fundraising for various charities for over 10 years. She is the publisher of Step By Step Fundraising e-zine, which will help you get maximum results from your charity fundraising campaign. Get a free report The 5 Keys to Successful Fundraising

Above all, you need to know that the right PR can alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors.

Especially when you create external stakeholder behavior change, the kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives.

And all because the core of your public relations lies in doing something positive about the behaviors of those important outside audiences of yours that MOST affect your operation.

The bottom line is, the right PR let’s you persuade those key outside folks to your way of thinking, and help move them to take actions that allow your department, division or subsidiary to succeed.

And now, the bonus blueprint that gets everyone working towards the same external stakeholder behaviors, insuring that your PR effort stays focused: 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 accomplished.

Such a blueprint can produce results like new community service and sponsorship opportunities; improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies; prospects

starting to work with you; customers making repeat purchases; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; promotional contest overtures; a rebound in showroom visits; new thoughtleader and special event contacts; capital givers or specifying sources looking your way; membership applications on the rise; new feedback channels; stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities; and even enhanced activist group relations.

It should be a prime concern to you as to who carries out this PR plan for you. Just who is going to do the work anyway? Will it be your full-time public relations staff? Folks assigned to your unit by a higher authority? A PR agency team? Regardless of where they come from, they must be committed to you as the senior project manager, to the PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with key audience perception monitoring.

A cautionary suggestion. Simply because a specialist describes him/herself as a public relations person doesn’t mean they’ve bought the program whole hog. You must be assured that those assigned to you believe deeply why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Insure that they buy the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Take the time to review the PR blueprint with your PR team, especially your plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. 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? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

For the perception monitoring phases of your program, use professional survey counsel if your budget will allow. But keep in mind that your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

Now it’s time to do something about the most serious distortions you discovered during your key audience perception monitoring. In other words, establish your public relations goal. And that could be to straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or stop that potentially fatal rumor dead in its tracks.

Naturally, you will need a good strategy, one that clearly shows you how to proceed. To keep things simple, note that there are only three strategic options available to you when it comes to handling a perception and opinion challenge. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Of course, the wrong strategy pick will taste like day-old fried eggs, so be certain the new strategy fits comfortably with your new public relations goal. Certainly, You don’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Now you need to hit members of your target audience with a powerful message. But persuading an audience to your way of thinking is hard work. Which is why your PR folks must create some very special, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual. Only in this way will you be able to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the behaviors you are targeting.

Pass your message by your communications specialists to assure its impact and persuasiveness. Then, sharpen it before selecting the communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. You can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

Since the credibility of a message is often dependent on how it’s delivered, you should consider unveiling it before smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile means such as news releases. You’ll soon need to provide progress reports, which will alert you and your PR team to get back out in the field and start work on a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. Difference this time is that you will be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

If the program lags, consider accelerating matters with more communications tactics and increased frequencies.

Yes, all you REALLY need to know is that the right PR can alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors. Especially when you create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving your managerial 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. Word count is 1130 including guidelines and resource box.

Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

About The Author

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 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.

mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net

Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

Where is there a business, non-profit or association manager who does not need all the help he or she can find in achieving their managerial objectives?

Help like altering individual perception leading to changed behaviors among their key outside audiences?

Help in the form of positive actions affecting the behaviors of those important external audiences that most affect their operations. And the help afforded when the manager persuades those key outside folks to his or her way of thinking, then moves those people to take actions that let the department, group, division or subsidiary succeed?

Of course they can use that kind of help. It’s called public relations.

And here’s the premise upon which it’s based: 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.

Managers who adopt this course of action are then free to move beyond tactics like fun-to-manage special events, press releases and brochures and pay closer attention to the perceptions and behaviors of the very people who could hold their professional success as a manager in their hands.

And there’s no end to the positive results. Savor these for a moment: new approaches by capital givers and specifying sources; community leaders beginning to seek you out; prospects starting to do business with you; welcome bounces in show room visits; rising membership applications; customers making repeat purchases; fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; not to mention politicians and legislators viewing you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.

Will an outside PR agency team do this sort of work? Folks assigned to your operation? Your own public relations people? Point is, regardless of where they come from, they need to be committed to you and your PR plan beginning with key audience perception monitoring.

As with any manager, you need to talk to your public relations people in order to be certain that those assigned to you are clear on why it’s vital to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. They must accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.

Take the time to sit with them and go over how you plan to implement the PR program, especially how you will monitor and gather perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. For instance, how much do you know about our chief executive? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Budget is always a concern, so if you have the resources, by all means use professional survey firms in the perception monitoring phases of your program. And remember that your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

You’re employing the heavy artillery when you set the kind of PR goal that lets you deal effectively with the worst aberations you discovered during your key audience perception monitoring. In fact, the new goal will undoubtedly call for straightening out that dangerous misconception, or correcting that gross inaccuracy, or stopping that potentially fatal rumor right in its tracks.

The importance of selecting the right strategy telling you how to move forward cannot be overemphasized. Keep in mind that you have just three strategic options available when it comes to handling a perception and opinion challenge. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Since the wrong strategy pick will taste like red eye gravy on your pumpkin pie, be certain the new strategy fits comfortably with your new public relations goal. You don’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Somebody on the PR staff (hopefully your best writer) must prepare a strong corrective message and aim it at members of your target audience. It’s hard work, no doubt about it, but you must have words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to correct something and shift perception/opinion towards your point of view leading to the behaviors you are targeting. It’s that simple.

You can have some fun with the next task — selecting the communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. (Suggest you do this after you run the draft by your PR people for impact and persuasiveness). There are many tactics available to you. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

As you probably know, a message’s believability can sink or swim on the credibility of the means used to deliver it. So, you may decide to unveil it (and monitor reactions) before smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases.

You will soon hear suggestions that progress reports might be a good idea. Best reaction is to take it as a signal that you and your PR team should think about a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session can be used again. But this time, you will be watching carefully for signs that the problem perception is being altered in your direction.

If program momentum appears to slow, you can always speed things up by adding more communications tactics, and increasing their frequencies.

In as few words as possible, what is the PR advantage managers need? Public relations’ ability to alter individual perception leading to changed behaviors among key outside audiences. Particularly when the effort persuades key outside stakeholders to the manager’s way of thinking, and then moves those folks to behave in a way that leads to the success of the manager’s operation. It doesn’t get any better than that.

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 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. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net

Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com

What’s REALLY potent for a business, non-profit or association manager is public relations’ ability to alter individual perception leading to changed behaviors. And then, to persuade those key outside folks to the manager’s way of thinking, and help move them to take actions that allow their department, division or subsidiary to succeed.

Potent because public relations does something positive for managers about the behaviors of the very outside audiences of theirs that MOST affect their operation.

And ESPECIALLY appropriate when such potency helps create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving those manager’s managerial objectives.

But how potent is it when business, non-profit and association managers are handed the precise public relations blueprint they need designed to get all their team members and organizational colleagues working towards the same external stakeholder behaviors? Wouldn’t that insure that their PR thrust stays focused?

Talking about a PR blueprint plan like this one: 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 accomplished.

Yes, potent’s a pretty darn good word when results like these start to crop up: a rebound in showroom visits; capital givers or specifying sources looking your way; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; membership applications on the rise; new feedback channels; community service and sponsorship opportunities; enhanced activist group relations; new thoughtleader and special event contacts; improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies; prospects starting to work with you; customers making repeat purchases; promotional contest overtures, and even stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities.

It must be a prime concern to you as to who carries out this PR plan for you. Just who is going to do the work anyway? Will it be a regular public relations staff? Or people sent to you by a higher authority? Or possibly a PR agency crew? Regardless of where they come from, they must be committed to you as the senior project manager, to the PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with key audience perception monitoring.

Something to keep your eye on. Simply because a practitioner describes him/herself as a public relations specialist doesn’t mean they’ve bought into the whole the program. Assure yourself that your team members really believe deeply why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Be certain they buy the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Now spend some time reviewing the PR blueprint with your PR team, especially your plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. 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? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Now you can use professional survey counsel for the perception monitoring phases of your program if your budget will allow. But remember that your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

It’s goal-setting time. Here, you do something about the most serious distortions you discovered during your key audience perception monitoring. In other words, establish your public relations goal. And that could be to straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or stop that potentially fatal rumor dead in its tracks.

For success, you need a solid strategy, one that clearly shows you how to proceed. To keep things simple, note that there are only three strategic options available to you when it comes to handling a perception and opinion challenge. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Of course, the wrong strategy pick will taste like week-old cole slaw, so be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. Naturally, you don’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Now you need to hit members of your target audience with a powerful message. But persuading an audience to your way of thinking is hard work. Which is why your PR folks must create some very special, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual. Only in this way will you be able to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the behaviors you are targeting.

Check out your message with your communications specialists to make certain its impact and persuasiveness measure up. Then, sharpen it before selecting the communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. You can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

It’s well-known that the credibility of a message can depend on its delivery method. So you might consider unveiling it in presentations before smaller gatherings rather than using higher-profile tactics such as news releases. People will soon request progress reports, which will alert you and your PR team to get back out in the field and start work on a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. Difference this time is that you will be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

Should program momentum slow, try speeding things up with more communications tactics and increased frequencies.

By now you know this secret about potent public relations: the right PR can alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors which, in turn, lead directly to achieving your managerial 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 mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net. Word count is 1170 including guidelines and resource box.

Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

About The Author

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 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.

mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net

Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

The media’s role is to package and spread news, current affairs and public interest information to the public. They have great power to shape and influence public opinion, to target and exploit audience reactions, emotions and opinions.

Setting up and maintaining good relationships with the media can be of enormous benefit. Effective media relations promote trust and balance between the media and an individual and their organisation.

Once you’ve proved yourself as a useful and dependable information source, you’ll realise it can; help to get your story into a news cycle, and provide opportunities for the media to approach you for comment on appropriate stories which in turn helps a journalist add depth, by filling gaps or backing up information, to their story.

Effective media relations is about working with, rather than against, the media. That’s not to say you can’t have a robust relationship with the media. However, adopting this approach gives you better access to journalists when there is something to say in the media.

Being available for comment when asked is another essential ingredient in effective media relations. In a crisis, your well-established media relationship can also provide you with a stronger opportunity to get a fair hearing in response.

Consider for a moment reactive media relations - the only time you deal with the media is when things go wrong. The reactive situation puts pressure on outcomes and doesn’t always allow for your messages to be delivered in a positive way. Obviously pressured reactive responses, or worst still, no response at all, can negatively influence public opinion of you and your organisation.

Media relations is also about; putting out regular media releases on appropriate issues that catch the eye, with short paragraphs written in newspaper style; actively providing comment on issues and or decisions; knowing what builds or makes a story; and knowing how to keep a story alive and when to let it go.

Using the media effectively can help you win public support. Public support is critical when trying to convince others, such as government or bureaucracy of the merit of a particular proposal or application.

Once you’re comfortable talking to the media you should take a proactive approach to your media relations. The benefits are well worth it in the long run.

If you’re not ready to manage your own media relations, but would like to work toward it, consider approaching a specialist in the field. They can provide advice or management as appropriate on media issues, help write media releases, distribute media releases, organise news conferences, facilitate one-on-one meetings with journalists, as well as deal with crisis and issues management.

Effective media relations can help you and your organisation develop a media profile. The benefit of a media profile becomes obvious when doors open wider for you within government, business and the community.

Mark Croxford advises clients from the government, private and corporate sectors on Government and Media Relations. He is a co-author of Talking to the Media. Talking to the Media teaches readers the skills and techniques they need to exploit the media’s strengths, limitations and demands. Don’t spend any money on media training until you’ve read Talking to the Media http://www.talkingtothemedia.com

The notion that a business, non-profit or association manager can actually hold a big key to success in his or her own hands IS a thrilling idea!

And it becomes more thrilling as the manager actually alters individual perceptions leading to changed behaviors of key outside audiences. Then persuades those external stakeholders to that manager’s way of thinking, helping move them to take actions that allow their department, division or subsidiary to succeed.

The thrill is real when public relations does something positive for those managers about the behaviors of the very outside audiences of theirs that MOST affect their operation, thus helping achieve those manager’s managerial objectives.

The trick lies in getting a manager’s public relations team members working towards the same external stakeholder behaviors so that the PR thrust stays focused.

Here’s one blueprint that can help create such a thrilling reality: 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 accomplished.

Properly employed, this kind of public relations approach can deliver results like enhanced activist group relations; community service and sponsorship opportunities; membership applications on the rise; expanded feedback channels; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; rebounds in showroom visits, as well as capital givers or specifying sources looking your way; not to mention new thoughtleader and special event contacts.

One can also envision improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies; prospects starting to work with you; customers making repeat purchases; promotional contest overtures, and even stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities.

However, one potential source of worry must be, who makes the blueprint come alive? Will your worker bees be regular public relations staff? Or people sent to you by a parent entity? Or possibly a PR agency crew? Regardless of where they come from, they must be committed to you as the senior project manager, to the PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with key audience perception monitoring.

Something else to keep your eye on. Simply because a practitioner describes him/herself as a public relations specialist doesn’t mean they’ve bought into the whole program. Assure yourself that your team members really believe deeply why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Be certain they buy the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Take the time to go over the PR blueprint with your PR team, especially your plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. 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? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Professional survey counsel is always available to handle the perception monitoring phases of your program, if your budget will allow. But I stress that your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

Here, you need to set your goal in order to do something about the most serious distortions you discovered during your key audience perception monitoring. And that could be to straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or stop that potentially fatal rumor dead in its tracks.

If you are to be successful in this PR effort, you need a solid strategy to show you clearly how to proceed. To keep things simple, note that there are only three strategic options available to you when it comes to handling a perception or opinion challenge. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Of course, the wrong strategy pick will taste like a cold catfish souffle, so be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You wouldn’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Remember that members of your target audience need to hear a powerful message. But persuading an audience to your way of thinking is hard work. Which is why your PR folks must create some very special, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual. Only in this way will you be able to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the behaviors you are targeting.

By all means, let your communications specialists “spider” your message to make certain its impactful and persuasive enough. Then, sharpen it before selecting the communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. You can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

A peculiarity of human nature holds that the credibility of a message can depend on its delivery method. So you might consider unveiling it in presentations before smaller gatherings rather than using higher-profile tactics such as news releases. Another human reality is that people love progress reports, a fact that will alert you and your PR team to get back out in the field and start work on a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. Only this time, you’ll be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

If things aren’t moving fast enough for you, try increasing the beat with more communications tactics and increased frequencies.

Once in a while, we can all use a thrill. This can be one of those times for the business, non-profit or association manager astute enough to demand that his public relations effort actually help him or her achieve their managerial 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 mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net. Word count is 1180 including guidelines and resource box.

Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

About The Author

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 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.

mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net

Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com