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Will You Add? - PR: Your 500 Pound Gorilla
We could learn a thing or two from pro sports.Baseball players use stats to tell the story of their season and their career. Scorekeepers keep track of every at bat, every hit, every strike out, every run scored and every base stolen.Those stats are cited by commentators during the game, sports reporters after the game and they are featured on the backs of baseball cards to they tell the story of the player's career.Those of us in business could learn a thing or two from baseball players about using stats to size-up our careers and experience.Give your prospects a reason to listen to what you have to say.I was attending a conference last month and the topic of using business stats to "earn the right" among prospects was brought up. "Earning the right" was explained
To show you how to reach the goal, you need a strategy. And there are three choices when it comes to doing something about a perception or opinion challenge: create perception where there may be none, change the perception, or reinforce it. By the way, if you select the wrong strategy, it will taste like fish sauce on your rhubarb. So be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. For example, you don't want to select "change" when reality dictates a "reinforce" strategy.
Some heavy writing needed here. In brief, some carefully targeted, corrective language. Language that is compe
Email is a company’s lifeblood. Everyone from the corner office on down depends on it and expects 100 percent availability. They schedule meetings, assign tasks, answer questions, receive product orders, check progress and exchange friendly greetings – all with the click of a mouse. Communication among customers, employees and business partners has never been easier…Until something goes wrong.An employee inadvertently opens the door to a virus that downs the entire system … A heavy day of email volume overwhelms the allocated storage, impeding performance of other mission-critical IT functions … Corporate counsel has asked that you turn over all emails from July of last year to settle a patent dispute, and you’re not even sure if you have them. All the while several of your staff memb
And that uses the fundamental premise of public relations to deliver the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives?
And does it all by persuading those important outside folks to your way of thinking, moving them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed?
Man, that's one heavy workload for a very large monkey!
And here's the core message he brings to you. Your public relations effort must involve more than news releases, special events and brochures if you really want to get your money's worth. And, the right PR really CAN alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors that help you succeed.
Both points well-supported by a public relations blueprint that reads like this: 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 your organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.
What kind of payoff can you expect from such an approach to public relations? How about capital givers or specifying sources making inquiries; stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities; prospects starting to work with you as well as customers making repeat purchases; and improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies.
Keep your pedal to the metal and you could see results like new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; new thoughtleader and special event contacts; membership applications on the rise; enhanced activist group relations, and expanded feedback channels; rebounds in showroom visits; and almost certainly, community service and sponsorship opportunities;
Like most managers, you want your most important outside audiences to have positive perceptions of your services and operations or products. Which is why every member of your PR support team must believe in what you are doing. It will also be very helpful if they accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.
Review the PR plan with them, especially how you will go about monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?
Certainly, the perception monitoring part of the effort can be handled by professional survey people IF you have the budget. Fortunately, however, you can always use your PR people who 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.
With preparations complete, you need to set your public relations goal, one that deals with perception problems that developed during your key audience perception monitoring. The new goal will require that you straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or do something about that damaging rumor.
To show you how to reach the goal, you need a strategy. And there are three choices when it comes to doing something about a perception or opinion challenge: create perception where there may be none, change the perception, or reinforce it. By the way, if you select the wrong strategy, it will taste like fish sauce on your rhubarb. So be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. For example, you don't want to select "change" when reality dictates a "reinforce" strategy.
Some heavy writing needed here. In brief, some carefully targeted, corrective language. Language that is compe
"Do you know someone that you would like to change and improve? Good! That is fine. I am all in favor of it. But why not begin on yourself? From a purely selfish standpoint, that is a lot more profitable than trying to improve others – and a lot less dangerous."Criticizing others rarely does any good because people are not creatures of logic, they are creatures of emotion. Very rarely will you criticize someone and hear them respond with "Why thank you, I see you are correct and I shall improve immediately."No, criticism is a dangerous spark that usually brings out every unbalanced Advisor (thoughts in your head) the other person has. When we feel attacked (which is what being told you are wrong feels like), we usually respond in one of two ways, 1) with hurtful emotion or 2)
Both points well-supported by a public relations blueprint that reads like this: 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 your organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.
What kind of payoff can you expect from such an approach to public relations? How about capital givers or specifying sources making inquiries; stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities; prospects starting to work with you as well as customers making repeat purchases; and improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies.
Keep your pedal to the metal and you could see results like new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; new thoughtleader and special event contacts; membership applications on the rise; enhanced activist group relations, and expanded feedback channels; rebounds in showroom visits; and almost certainly, community service and sponsorship opportunities;
Like most managers, you want your most important outside audiences to have positive perceptions of your services and operations or products. Which is why every member of your PR support team must believe in what you are doing. It will also be very helpful if they accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.
Review the PR plan with them, especially how you will go about monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?
Certainly, the perception monitoring part of the effort can be handled by professional survey people IF you have the budget. Fortunately, however, you can always use your PR people who 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.
With preparations complete, you need to set your public relations goal, one that deals with perception problems that developed during your key audience perception monitoring. The new goal will require that you straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or do something about that damaging rumor.
To show you how to reach the goal, you need a strategy. And there are three choices when it comes to doing something about a perception or opinion challenge: create perception where there may be none, change the perception, or reinforce it. By the way, if you select the wrong strategy, it will taste like fish sauce on your rhubarb. So be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. For example, you don't want to select "change" when reality dictates a "reinforce" strategy.
Some heavy writing needed here. In brief, some carefully targeted, corrective language. Language that is compe
Most small business people do not take advantage of human relationship issues. They do not understand that being nice and friendly, out going and enthusiastic pays high dividends. When you are out and about in public you should always wear a smile, wave, honk and have a positive displacement. Such a public image makes people wish to do business with you, it is a good thing.WavingWhen you’re driving around town, remember to wave to your regular customers, your corporate customers and even non-customers. Soon you’ll notice everyone is waving in your direction, honking their horn and some may follow you to your next stop for service just to get a business card. When you are driving a company vehicle with a magnetic sign on it, you are advertising, if you follow that up with a high-energy
Keep your pedal to the metal and you could see results like new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; new thoughtleader and special event contacts; membership applications on the rise; enhanced activist group relations, and expanded feedback channels; rebounds in showroom visits; and almost certainly, community service and sponsorship opportunities;
Like most managers, you want your most important outside audiences to have positive perceptions of your services and operations or products. Which is why every member of your PR support team must believe in what you are doing. It will also be very helpful if they accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.
Review the PR plan with them, especially how you will go about monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?
Certainly, the perception monitoring part of the effort can be handled by professional survey people IF you have the budget. Fortunately, however, you can always use your PR people who 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.
With preparations complete, you need to set your public relations goal, one that deals with perception problems that developed during your key audience perception monitoring. The new goal will require that you straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or do something about that damaging rumor.
To show you how to reach the goal, you need a strategy. And there are three choices when it comes to doing something about a perception or opinion challenge: create perception where there may be none, change the perception, or reinforce it. By the way, if you select the wrong strategy, it will taste like fish sauce on your rhubarb. So be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. For example, you don't want to select "change" when reality dictates a "reinforce" strategy.
Some heavy writing needed here. In brief, some carefully targeted, corrective language. Language that is compe
If you have been in a job-search for very long at all, you have most likely read that employers do not read resumes, they scan them. Do you think a 30-second scan is ridiculous? When you consider how important filling a vacant position must be to an employer, that isn’t a very long amount of time, is it? Why wouldn’t an employer want to read EVERY resume to make sure they were hiring the right person for the job? Surely there is no way to properly get a feel for someone in 30 seconds. Well, think about it from a hiring manager’s point of view. The day starts at 7:00am with a bang – the phone rings, there are email messages to answer and a meeting with marketing at 8:00am to go over the recently vacated Brand Manager’s position. From
Certainly, the perception monitoring part of the effort can be handled by professional survey people IF you have the budget. Fortunately, however, you can always use your PR people who 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.
With preparations complete, you need to set your public relations goal, one that deals with perception problems that developed during your key audience perception monitoring. The new goal will require that you straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or do something about that damaging rumor.
To show you how to reach the goal, you need a strategy. And there are three choices when it comes to doing something about a perception or opinion challenge: create perception where there may be none, change the perception, or reinforce it. By the way, if you select the wrong strategy, it will taste like fish sauce on your rhubarb. So be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. For example, you don't want to select "change" when reality dictates a "reinforce" strategy.
Some heavy writing needed here. In brief, some carefully targeted, corrective language. Language that is compe
Crash!Aaarrrgh!The scream of a manager scurrying to cope with yet another organizational, technological, competitive, market, industry, socio-political or other kind of momentous change.Yep. Managing in today's world is a bit like walking through a field of land-mines -- any moment now another big change is going to erupt and irrevocably alter the landscape.And you never quite know when or where it's going to explode... or what it's going to do to the environment.Let's face it...Whatever tools you're using today... next year they'll be different.Whatever your customers want today... next year they'll want something different.Whoever your major competitors are today... next year they'll be different.Okay, maybe the year after next year. deals with perception problems that developed during your key audience perception monitoring. The new goal will require that you straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or do something about that damaging rumor.
To show you how to reach the goal, you need a strategy. And there are three choices when it comes to doing something about a perception or opinion challenge: create perception where there may be none, change the perception, or reinforce it. By the way, if you select the wrong strategy, it will taste like fish sauce on your rhubarb. So be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. For example, you don't want to select "change" when reality dictates a "reinforce" strategy.
Some heavy writing needed here. In brief, some carefully targeted, corrective language. Language that is compelling, persuasive and believable AND clear and factual. There is little choice here. You must correct a damaging perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the desired behaviors.
It's pick-your-own time when you and your PR group select the communications tactics most likely to carry your words 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.
By the way, experience shows that the credibility of a message can depend on how it's delivered. So you might want to introduce it to smaller gatherings rather than using higher-profile tactics such as news releases or talk show appearances.
Experience shows that, by this time, all concerned will be chomping at the bit for a progress report. Which will signal you and your PR staff to return to the field for a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Using many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session, you'll now be alert for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.
Occasionally, momentum will slow in which event you can always accelerate matters by using more communications tactics supported by increased frequencies.
Your 500 pound gorilla will be one happy simian when your data show that you have achieved the kind of key stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving your department, division or subsidiary 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 © 2004.
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