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Public_Relations_8_Fix_Factors
| Public Relations 8 Fix Factors
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 1115
including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2004.
Public Relations’ 8 Fix Factors
I say to business, non-profit and association managers, a key
part of your job description is – or should be – do everything
you can to help your organization’s public relations effort as
it strives to persuade important outside stakeholders to your
way of thinking. Especially when it’s YOUR PR program that is
tasked to move those stakeholders to behaviors that lead to the
success of YOUR department or division.
Which is why I suggest that business, non-profit and association
managers embrace what I call PR’s 8 fix factors, those steps
necessary to prepare their public relations operation for the
battles certain to lie ahead.
The fix factors are based on this 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 accomplished.
Fix Factor 1
For starters, I caution Mr/Ms Manager that you may find yourself
data-challenged should you be unaware of just HOW most members
of that key outside audience perceive your organization.
Has anyone sat down and listed those external audiences whose
behaviors could hurt your unit badly? Then prioritized them
according to the impacts they have on your operation? A
necessary first step in creating the right public relations
objective because, while behavior is the goal, and a host of
communications tactics are the tools, our strategy is the
leverage provided by key audience perception. Sometimes called
public opinion.
Fix Factor 2
Lets take a look at the audience you place at the top of your
prioritized target audience list. Because there could be
negative perceptions out there, someone must interact with
members of that audience and ask a number of questions. Do you
know anything about our organization? Have you had any kind of
contact with our people? Have you heard anything good or bad
about us or our services and products? Watch respondents closely
for hesitant or evasive answers. And stay alert for
inaccuracies, rumors, untruths or misconceptions.
Fix Factor 3
Here, fortunately, you have a choice. You and your PR staff can
interact with members of that target audience yourselves, which
seems appropriate since your PR folks are already in the
perception and behavior business. Or, if budget is available,
you can hire professional survey counsel to do the work for you.
What are you hearing during your perception monitoring sessions?
Misconceptions that need straightening out? Rumors that should
not be allowed to fester? Inaccurate beliefs about your products
or services that could drive people away from you? Do you notice
other perceptions about your organization that need to be
altered?
Fix Factor 4
The responses gathered by this kind of perception monitoring
among members of the target audience provides just what you need
to establish your public relations goal – the specific
perception to be altered.
You might start with a straightforward goal like clearing up
that misconception, correcting that inaccuracy or replacing a
perceived untruth with the truth.
Fix Factor 5
Now, the right strategy sends the public relations program off
to a good start because it shows you how to proceed towards your
goal. Luckily, there are just three strategic choices for
dealing with matters of opinion and perception. You can create
perception/opinion where there may not be any, you can change
existing opinion, or you can reinforce it. An effort should be
made to match the strategy to the public relations goal you
selected. Obviously, if you want to correct a misconception, you
would use the strategy that changes existing opinion, not one
that reinforces it.
Fix Factor 6
Here, there is a little more work to do in the form of the
message that, hopefully, will alter people’s inaccurate
perceptions of you and the organization.
Some serious writing is needed here. The corrective message to
be communicated to members of the target audience is an
opportunity to write something designed to change individual
opinion, and that’s a positive experience for any writer.
Clarity is first, followed closely by accuracy and
believability. Stick closely to the issue at hand – like that
inaccurate belief, misconception or dangerous rumor. A
compelling tone is useful because the message must alter what a
lot of people believe, and that is a big job. Tryout the message
on some colleagues for effectiveness.
Keep in mind that your message must be believable and that
rather than delivering it in a high-profile news announcement,
you may want to make the message part of another general
interest release, presentation or address.
Fix Factor 7
Now you must throw that message to receivers in the end-zone or,
continuing this scintillating mixture of metaphors, every bullet
needs a gun to fire it at the target. Which brings us to the
stable housing our beasts of burden – the communications tactics
whose job it is to carry your message to the attention of those
key target audience members.
Fortunately, there are many, many such tactics ranging from
luncheons, news releases and personal contacts to print and
broadcast interviews, speeches, press releases and dozens of
others. Only requirement is that they have a proven track record
for reaching your target audience.
Fix Factor 8
Soon, associates (and others) will inquire whether any progress
is being made in altering the offending perception or opinion.
If you’ve ruled out pricey survey counsel, your best hope of
assessing that progress is a return to the field for a second
perception monitoring session.
Yes, you and your PR team will ask the same questions as you did
in the initial monitoring session. But this time, you’ll be
looking for evidence in the responses that the offending
perception is finally being altered. You need to see and hear
signs that perceptions are actually moving in your direction.
That tells you that positive behaviors by your key external
stakeholders cannot be far behind.
end
About the author:
Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to 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. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com
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