Public Relation Tips for Contractors
Let's Blow The Lid Off Public Relations
Article by Robert A. Kelly
Show it for what it is – a well-oiled strategy machine
using cutting-edge communications tactics that lead directly
to program success. And all because perceptions were
altered, behaviors modified and the employer/client
satisfied with the end result.
When everybody benefits like that, blowing the lid off
public relations is not only justified, it's necessary!
Do you take the core strengths of public relations into
account as you manage those communications tactics?
Because if you don't, you're missing the sweet-spot of
public relations. The communications tactics you use must
work together to create the behavioral change you want in
certain groups of people important to the success of your
business.
But NO organization – business, non-profit, association
or public sector – can succeed today unless the behaviors of
its most important audiences are in-sync with the
organization's objectives.
For your business, that means public relations
professionals must modify somebody's behavior if they are to
help hit your objective – all else are means to that end.
Which is why, when public relations goes on to
successfully create, change or reinforce public opinion by
reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action those
people whose behaviors affect the organization, it
accomplishes its mission.
How can we be so certain? Question: how can you measure
the results of an activity more accurately than when you
clearly achieve the goal you set at the beginning of that
activity? You can't. It defines success.
Public relations is no different. The client/employer
wants our help in altering counterproductive perceptions
among key audiences which almost always change behaviors in
a way that helps him or her get to where they want to be.
Now, to achieve that goal, public relations practitioners
must be skilled in many tactical disciplines. Everything
from media relations, public speaking and a dozen kinds of
writing to financial communications, special events, issue
tracking and crisis management, to name just a few.
But too often, the employer/client's tendency is to see
little beyond a tactic's immediate impact. For example, a
speech and how it was received, a news release and how it
was picked up and presented in a newspaper or on TV, or a
special event and the audience's reaction.
Of course those concerns are understandable and shouldn't
be lightly dismissed. But the question also must be asked,
to what end are we applying those tactics?
Well, WHY do we employ public relations tactics anyway?
Could it be for the pure pleasure of doing surveys, making
speeches or editing company magazines? Not likely. We employ
public relations so that, at the end of the day, somebody's
behavior gets modified.
That leads us directly to the core strength of public
relations: people act on their perception of the facts;
those perceptions lead to certain behaviors; and something
can be done about those perceptions and behaviors that leads
to achieving an organization's objectives.
To assess those behavior changes and, thus, the degree of
success the core public relations program has achieved, look
for evidence that your tactics have actually changed
behavior. Signs should begin showing up via Internet
chatter, in print and broadcast news coverage, reports from
the field, letters-to-the-editor, consumer and customer
reactions, shareholder letters and comments from community
leaders.
Consider doing informal polls of employees, retirees,
industrial neighbors and local businesses as well as
collecting feedback from suppliers, elected officials, union
leaders and government agencies.
The point of this article is that the core strength of
public relations places a special burden on each tactic
selected to carry the message to a target audience: does
it/will it make a tangible, action-producing contribution
towards altering target audience perceptions and behaviors?
If not, it should be dropped and replaced with a tactic that
does.
That way, only the strongest tactics will be used
allowing public relations to apply its core strength to the
challenge at hand: create, change or reinforce public
opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action
those people whose behaviors affect the organization.
What do I believe the employer/client wants from us? I
believe s/he wants us to use our expertise in a way that
helps achieve his or her business objectives. But regardless
of what strategic plan we create to solve a problem,
regardless of what tactical program we put in place, when
all is said and done, we must modify somebody's behavior if
we are to earn our keep.
So, not one, not two, but three benefits result when the
behavioral changes become apparent, and meet the program's
original behavior modification goal: First and most
important, the public relations effort is a success.
Second, by achieving the behavioral goal you set at the
beginning, you are taking advantage of a dependable and
accurate public relations performance measurement.
Finally, when the "reach, persuade and
move-to-desired-action" efforts produce a visible, and
desired modification in the behaviors of those people you
wish to influence, you are using public relations' core
strength to its full benefit.
Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks about the
fundamental premise of public relations. 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. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net
Visit:
http://www.prcommentary.com
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