A Company That Doesn't Need Public Relations?

By: Robert A. Kelly
Submitted: 2007-01-17 12:23:00
Print this article | Tell a friend | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

Really? You mean there are NO perceptions and behaviors peculiar to that company's outside audiences that would help or hinder it in the pursuit of its objectives?

Wow! I need to know more about a company that can ignore what its key external publics perceive about the company AND how they behave. I need to know how such a company can disregard serious negative behaviors by people who make up an influential external audience, and still reach its business objectives!

In fact, it would have to be a miracle! I don't buy it because it defies logic!

The business world doesn't believe that's possible either because it needs public relations big time, and they show it every day.

How? By staying in touch with their prime external publics and carefully monitoring their perceptions about the company, their feelings about any current topic at issue, AND the behaviors that inevitably follow.

Possibly there is an angle here for your business.

Now, with what has been learned about that audience's feelings and beliefs, the public relations goal, corrective if needed - for example, a specific behavior change -- can be established.

Which then requires that a strategy be identified. There are just three choices here, create opinion where none exists, change existing opinion, or reinforce it.

It's a logical sequence. With the strategy now set, we need persuasive messages with a good chance of moving perceptions (and thus behaviors) in the organization's direction. And we make sure the messages talk not only to the current topic at issue, but any misconceptions encountered during our information gathering, and to any problems that might be brewing.

What will we do with our new messages? We'll carry them to the attention of our priority audience. We'll use communications tactics that are credible in the eyes of the receiver, effective in reaching him or her. We'll also want tactics that stand a good chance of moving opinion in that target audience, on the topic at issue, in the direction of the industry's position..

Fortunately, there are dozens of communications tactics to choose from: newsworthy announcements, letters-to-the-editor, news releases, radio and newspaper interviews, brochures, speeches and on and on.

At this point, we're back to the monitoring mode as we interact once again with members of the key target audience. With our communications tactics hammering away, we keep one eye peeled for signs of target audience opinion shifts in the industry's direction. The other eye, (and ears) stay alert for any references by print and broadcast media, or other local thoughtleaders, to our carefully prepared messages.

Our bottom line is, are perceptions and behaviors within the target audience being modified? If not, adjustments to both message and communications tactics - often a big increase in, and wider selection of tactics -- must be made.

Gradually, you'll begin to notice changes in opinion starting to appear along with a growing receptiveness to those messages of yours. This is real progress.

Should you still need encouragement to hang in there with your brand new public relations program, consider this. A single issue - for example, a potentially dangerous, unattended perception among a key audience -- can spread like wildfire nudging any business closer to failure than success.

Now, don't you feel better about public relations?

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 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.

Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com; bobkelly@TNI.net

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Public Relations category

  • Holiday Greeting Cards for Businesses - By: Mary White
    Many business owners and managers send Christmas cards to their customers, prospects, suppliers, and employees every year. When choosing a company Christmas card, it's important to select an appropriate holiday greeting card that sends the right message about your organization. The card should be professional in appearance, and should reflect the image the company strives to project throughout the year.
  • Scottsdale Arizona Web Design, Marketing, SEO, Search Optimization available at DataFlurry - By: Joel Mclaughlin
    DataFlurry now has a division of services catered to Scottsdale Marketing customers, Scottsdale Web Design customers and Scottsdale SEO Search Engine Optimization customers. The employees of DataFlurry have always had a love for Scottsdale and the classic elegance that comes with the city.
  • The Public Relations Grand Slam - By: Anthony Mora
    PR is a cumulative process, use what you can from each media placement and keep moving forward.
  • I Can't Use National Media Coverage - By: Anthony Mora
    Don't limit your PR horizons. Remember, nothing impresses the media more than media. National media establishes you as an expert. Now you're national news and you're in a position to garner local news.
  • I'm Not Interesting Enough to be in the Media - By: Anthony Mora
    Think of your business as a separate entity that deserves respect and caring. Remember, you are the only you around. No one does what you do quite like you do it. Whether you know it, or even want to believe it, you're an original, you're unique. So start viewing yourself that way.
  • Taking time to think about what you'd like to say about your business and the shot to accompany your - By: Deryck Harlick
    A picture is worth a thousand words; make sure you are projecting the right image in your PR Photography.
  • Say It Right With Greeting Cards - By: Colleen Davis
    When you care enough to send the very best…Sounds familiar? It's the most remembered and recognized line that has been used for ages. Ever since I could remember, Hallmark has this phrase as their standard tagline.
  • Avoid These Mistakes When Doing Your Business Cards - By: Lynne Saarte
    Your business card triggers the first impression your target clients get about your business and so it's very obvious that nothing is more important than creating a splash when handing out your business cards.
  • Techniques of Persuasive Communication: Old Wisdom in a New Package - By: Philip Yaffe
    Fully considering the reader’s point of view when writing is a fundamental principle of persuasive communication. Its purpose is to bring readers into your text and hold their attention while you present your arguments. However, too often we confuse our ideas and interests for those of our audience, producing the opposite effect. A new formulation of the principle, Yaffe’s Law, provides clear, functional safeguards against going off-track en route to this laudable objective.
  • Stop Writing Press Releases. Start Writing News Releases. - By: Philip Yaffe
    Journalists hate “press releases” and love “news releases”. Although most people use these terms interchangeably, there is a significant difference. Understanding this difference can dramatically increase the publication rate of your press information. This article describes the two fundamental aspects of a news release to ensure your media success.