Powering Up Managerial PR
by Bob Kelly
Published on this site: February 23rd, 2006 - See
more articles from this month
For many managers, talking about how to power up managerial
public relations means talking about favored communications
tactics such as press releases, broadcast plugs, special events
and brochures. Tactical devices which, as a manager, you may
call upon from time to time to simply move a message from
here to there.
Of course, calling them just that – tactical devices
– does avoid confusing them with the broader, more comprehensive
mission known as public relations.
A mission which, compared to a tactical orientation, instead
assembles the resources and action planning needed to alter
individual perception leading to changed behaviors among a
business, government agency, non-profit, or association's
most important outside audiences. Then goes on to help managers
persuade those key folks to their way of thinking, and move
them to take actions that allow their department, group, division
or subsidiary to succeed.
In brief, and building on the tactical base, what such an
approach to public relations does, is power up managerial
PR by creating the kind of external stakeholder behavior change
that leads directly to achieving those managerial objectives of yours. Then it persuades those key outside folks
to your way of thinking by helping move audience members to
take actions that help your unit get to whereit wants to go.
Before long, all concerned will notice that the reality implicit
in PR's underlying premise is that good public relations planning
really can alter individual perception and result in changed behaviors among key outside
audiences.
But what about that underlying premise? Spend a momentdigesting
it and see if it fits your style: 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.
Results will appear sooner rather than later: new prospects
actually start to do business with you; community leaders
begin to seek you out; capital givers or specifying sources
begin to look your way; customers start to make repeat
purchases; politicians and legislators begin looking at you
as a key member of the business, non-profit or association
communities; welcome bounces in show room visits occur; new
proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures start
showing up; and membership applications start to rise.
Your PR people need to analyze and input your plans for monitoring
and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most
important outside audiences. Suggest queries along these lines:
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'll be best served by looking first to your PR staff to
manage your data gathering activity. But, take the time to
satisfy yourself that they really accept why it's so important
to know how your most important outside audiences perceive
your operations, products or services. Be sure they believe
that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can
help or hurt your operation.
If you ask a survey firm to handle your data gathering work,
the cost could be substantial. Alternatively, using those
PR folks of yours in that monitoring capacity could be a much
better choice as they are already in the perception and
behavior 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.
A clearcut and realistic PR goal is an absolute necessity.It
must call for action on the most serious problem areas you
uncovered during your key audience perception monitoring.
You may, for example, decide to straighten out that dangerous
misconception, bring to an end that potentially painful rumor,
or correct that awful inaccuracy.
In like manner, establishing the right action-oriented strategy
will show you how to get to where you're going.Truth 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. Needless to say, the wrong strategy
pick will taste like marinara sauce on your grilled squab
and chicory salad. So be sure your new strategy fits well
with your new public relations goal. You certainly don't want
to pursue "change" when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.
Now you must move your key audience to your way of thinking.
Which means you're going to have to write a persuasive message.
Ask the best writer on your team to get ready to prepare a
carefully-written message targeted directly at your key external
audience. She must produce some 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.
To carry your message to the attention of your target audience,
you'll need carefully selected communications tactics, and
there are many such 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.
By the way, because a message's credibility is always fragile
and often suspect, depending on the method by which it was
delivered, you may wish initially to unveil your corrective message before smaller meetings rather
than using higher profile news releases orbroadcast announcements.
How will you demonstrate how the monies spent on public relations
can pay off? Progress reports, of course. But they'll also
be your alert to start a second perception monitoring session
with members of your external audience. Here, you'll use many
of the same questions used in the benchmark interviews. Only
difference now is, you will be on strict alert for signs that
the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.
Should you detect a modest slowing in activity, you can always
add more communications tactics, and/or increase their frequencies
to address that problem.
Thus, powering up managerial PR is best accomplished by
- Creating the kind of external stakeholder behavior change
that leads directly to achieving those managerial objectives
of yours. And
- Supported by a high-impact PR action plan focused on
your key external audiences, and designed to deliver the
very best public relations has to offer.
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:[email protected]
Visit:www.PRCommentary.com
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