Managers the business, non-profit and association sort
really need to get this down pat if they are to meet their
managerial objectives.

They need to do something positive about the behaviors
of those important external audiences of theirs that most
affect their operation. And as they persuade those key
outside folks to their way of thinking, help move them
to take actions that allow their department, group, division
or subsidiary to succeed.

The good news for those managers is that good public
relations planning really CAN alter individual perception
and lead to changed behaviors among key outside
audiences.

The 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.

There is literally no end to the magic that can be wrought:
fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures;
welcome bounces in show room visits; prospects starting to
work with you; capital givers or specifying sources
beginning to look your way; customers starting to make
repeat purchases; membership applications on the rise;
community leaders beginning to seek you out, and even
politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key
member of the business, non-profit or association
communities.

First, get your public relations people on board this
particular approach to PR. Reason is, they must buy
into why its so important to know how your outside
audiences perceive your operations, products or services.
And do be sure they accept the reality that negative
perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can
damage your organization.

Then, spend some time outlining how you plan to
monitor and gather perceptions by questioning members
of your most important outside audiences. Questions
like these: how much do you know about our
organization? Have you had prior contact with us and
were you pleased with the interchange? How much do
you know about our services or products and employees?
Have you experienced problems with our people or
procedures?

Youll find satisfaction in the fact that your PR people are
already in the perception and behavior business and can
be of real use for the initial opinion monitoring project.
Professional survey firms are always available, of course,
but that can blow your budget. So, whether its your people
or a survey firm who handles the questioning, the objective
is to identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded
rumors, inaccuracies, and misconceptions.

Its time to decide which of the problems outlined above
becomes your corrective public relations goal clarify the
misconception, spike that rumor, correct the false
assumption or fix a variety of other possible inaccuracies?

The fact is that you will realize that goal only when you
select the right strategy from the three choices available
to you. Change existing perception, create perception
where there may be none, or reinforce it. Picking the
wrong strategy will taste like Limberger cheese on your
Jello. So please be certain the new strategy fits
comfortably with your new public relations goal. You
wouldnt want to select change when the facts dictate
a reinforce strategy.

Now, one of the more challenging aspects of your public
relations effort, writing a persuasive message aimed at
members of your target audience. Its never easy to craft
action-forcing language that will help persuade a target
audience to your way of thinking.

Needless to say, be certain you have your best writer on the
assignment. Whats needed are words that are not only
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 desire.

On the other hand, one of the less challenging chores is
identifying the communications tactics needed to carry your
message to the attention of your target audience. Insuring
that the tactics you select have a record of reaching folks
like your audience members, 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.

Its also a fact that the believability of the message can be
dependent on the credibility of its delivery method. Which
means you may wish to deliver it in small getogether-like
meetings and presentations rather than through a higher-
profile media announcement.

When progress reports are first suggested, you and your
PR team are well advised to undertake a second perception
monitoring session with members of your external
audience. The same questions used in the benchmark
session can be used again. But now, you will be observing
very carefully for indications that the bad news perception
is being altered in your direction.

If activity isnt at the pace you desire, rest assured that the
PR program usually can be accelerated by adding more
communications tactics as well as increasing their
frequencies.

The bottom line for a business, non-profit or association
manager is this: a workable public relations blueprint will
help you persuade your most important outside stakeholders
to your way of thinking, and move them to behave in a way that
leads to the success of your department, group, division or
subsidiary.

Another example of perception, persuasion and behavior,
PR at work.

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 1010 including guidelines and resource box.
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 communi-
cations, 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:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com

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It has been noticed that businesses, whether small or big, puts in huge amounts trying to find ways to get best publicity for their organization and its achievements. Publicity is nowadays widely considered in companys budgets to enhance profits.

Reaching to your customers has become more essential, and intricate. There are many methods available on net to publicize and market your business, but one of the cheapest methods is to use online press release websites, as many of these offers free of cost or low-cost PR options.

With online press release one can simply reach the targeted online community. PR web-sites offers article submission database of free content and reprint articles. Publishers, who are in quest of free reprint articles and the business community, who wants to shoot their business, make the best use of this significant resource to enhance their marketing weapon.

Here are ten effectual tips to write well drafted press release.

1. Starting should be solid: Your title and initial lines should cover, what you want to convey. The remaining part of your press release should depict the detailed information.

2. Draft it for journalists & media agencies: The journalists receive thousand of press releases on daily basis. The media agencies and journalists would grab your press release and only if, with slight editing or no alteration.

3. Consider addressees Interest: The audiences interest consideration is most important to be keeping in mind that if you were a part of audience, would you be interested like to read the press release, you have written.

4. Make it appear practical: Point out real facts of your company or organization, as people are also intellectual enough to make out what is true and what is not? Present information on product and services in what they are interested.

5. Tie the story with real facts: Dont put bluff and add-ons. If you find the content using much added extras, make it natural and real. If content seems too good to be true, turn down the tone little, as it may possibly hurt your own credibility.

6. Use only necessary words: Dont use extra adjectives, extravagant language, or unnecessary expressions like The most powerful. Describe your story with lesser words, as verbosity distracts from your content.

7. Avoid using jargon: Limited use of jargon could be allowed, if you aim to optimize news release for search engines. The finest technique to communicate your press release is to speak neatly, using regular language.

8. Avoid exclamation: The use of exclamation point (!) may hurt your press release. But, if you have to use an exclamation point, use only one.

9. Company permit: Companies are very defensive about their name and credibility. Get written permission before putting in an information or quotes from officials or associates of other companies/organizations.

10. Company Information: The press release should conclude with a short description of your company, which illustrates your company, products, service and a brief history of company. But if you are making a combined press release of two or more then two then you should, provide information of all the companies.

Writing quality press releases is a process that requires immense skill and experience, as every single word of a press release may be examined. This is why many companies hire public relation firms for official press releases and other media contacts.

Inaccurate or poorly drafted information in an official press release can be a point to slicing a company or organizations credit.

Allen Brown is a freelance writer for http://www.1888PressRelease.com

http://www.1888pressrelease.com/, the premier website to Submit Free Press Release for any announcements including launching of new product or services, new website, announcing new hires, sponsoring a special event or seminar and more. He also freelances for http://www.1888Articles.com

How to Create Instant Publicity With Press Release Marketing
Press releases are another nifty, inexpensive tool which can help to quickly promote your web site or business. With the advent of web-based PR distribution services, press releases have become a much more popular means of distributing newsworthy content than ever before.When Should I Use a Press Release?Press releases arent for any old news story ...

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For years, businesses are using various techniques to establish a better relation with their consumers. Press release is also a vital part of every publicity campaign as it speaks volume about your business thought through the strongest mode of communication i.e. media. With ever-increasing use of internet it becomes essential for businesses to be present on web with same alacrity and aptness. Various news search engines are availing businesses the platform for perfect online business approach. Whether it is a place in editorial listing or a sponsored link, a good rank in search engine listing can bring heavy traffic to your link. Many press releases fail to attract readers just because their content does not support the keyword that makes their online presence noticeable. To avoid such problems press release optimization can be used so that your press release may solve its purpose.

Press release optimization is the greatest way to optimize the content of press release. It includes keyword research and page optimization with enhanced online press release distribution techniques. Its proper implementation can radically increase online market shares, press coverage and business revenues. For successful online business it is must to have press releases with content that hit the psychology of consumers. One must understand and provide what consumers want to read not what you want them to read. Simply, the purpose of press release is to let them know about what you have in your stock of their interest. It is futile if your press release is not able to make consumers aware of your new product, launch or achievement. Press release optimization is the best way to assure that your message has been successfully conveyed to authentic consumers and readers as it makes your press release available whenever someone searches for it.

There are many firms that offer the service of press release optimization. A wise decision of press release optimization can leverage the existing PR of your company. It is quite possible that you are having a tremendous public relation and marketing communication but it is not proving beneficial for your online business, in such a situation you can better utilize your offline goodwill with the help of press release optimization. With a little modification, this goodwill can be turned in to your online success. Your available documents can be used to solve the purpose of press release through optimization to match the high value terms and phrases that your target audience uses every day. From the business point of view this is able to add great value to your business so that it my flourish on web also.

It is proven fact that search engines are playing a vital role in developing a new concept of public relation improvement. In the present era of technology, it is no more difficult to establish a better communication channel with consumers. Press release optimization is the finest way to bridge up the gap between a business and its consumers as it makes every announcement readily available on web. Therefore, move ahead and make your promotion concept available worldwide.

Steve Waganer has specialization in Web Marketing. He is expert in Search engine optimization,Search engine marketing, Press release optimization To get the Search engine marketing tips for your website to get high rank and top position in major search engines visit http://www.cometsearchenginemarketing.com

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Regardless of whether you are just venturing out into the business world or already have a successful company, budgeting your expenses will help to improve profits and the overall health of the business. The largest expenses that a landscaping business has are advertising and the cost of equipment. The prices associated with a print advertisement can be significant, which is why a growing number of business owners are turning toward an alternative way of spreading the word about their landscaping business. With a company that provides local services, such as landscaping, it is more important to reach a local audience as opposed to a national one.

The most common way to generate free publicity for a landscaping business is through a press release, which is distributed to local newspapers, magazines and trade publications. Whether the landscaping business has an actual storefront present, is home or web-based, this option may have a positive success rate. In order for a press release to be worthy of publication, it must feature some type of news. A terrific example would be a grand opening, the launch of a new website, a free landscaping project contest or similar newsworthy event. A photograph of the business owner would make a nice accompaniment to any press release and may even grab the editors attention. Press releases can be submitted via mail, e-mail or fax and should be directed to the editors attention.

Many businesses, including those that provide landscaping services, often choose to have a website. Although the internet does provide for national exposure, many local customers may surf the web for landscaping information. A website should be professionally designed, regularly updated and feature plenty of landscaping example photos to showcase your ability. With a website, the free promotional opportunities are unlimited. From press release submission websites to article marketing and search engines, there are plenty of ways to get the word out about your new web presence.

Just as there are a number of ways to generate paid advertising, there are even more ways to obtain free publicity for your landscaping business. Most local companies will find paid advertising works most effectively in the telephone books yellow pages, but may also find limited success with newspaper and/or radio advertising. The main problem with the latter is that newspapers are often discarded quickly and most people do not have a pen handy when listening to the radio in order to write down a contact number. When you reduce the advertising costs and increase profits, your companys bank account will begin to glimmer just as much as the dew on a beautifully landscaped lawn.

Learn more about landscaping - visit our website at http://www.landscapingreport.info for landscaping articles and reviews.

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So youve decided that getting your name out there is going to be one of your major goals for the New Year. But how do you do that on a limited budget?

Thats where publicity comes in. And you can do it. It just takes time and a plan. Here are the seven basic steps to creating a plan:

1) Decide who your target market(s) is. There may be more than one, but your target market is not everyone. A good way to find out is look at who currently buys your product or service and create a profile of them.

2)Write down three strategies you will use for each market. They can include:
Speaking/workshops
Press releases
Articles
Ezines or print newsletter
Letters to the editor
Postcards
Networking events
Blogging
Podcasting

3) Set a measurable goal for each strategy. How many speaking engagements do you want each quarter? How many releases will you send out each month?

4)Write down several topics or themes. Create at least one for every goal you set.

5) Learn how to do each of the strategies by researching. There are hundreds of articles and tips on each PR strategy on the web. All will help you implement your plan better.

6) Schedule time each week to work on your goals and strategies. Research shows that a small business needs to spend about 20% of its time marketing. And if youre a new business its more like 50%.

7) Evaluate every 3 months to see how youre doing. You may find that some strategies arent working well, and others are really paying off. This way you can discard what ineffective and change your focus, if you need to.

Businesses that want a leg up on their competition need to focus on boosting their public relations efforts. This keeps them from going under when the economy is weak, and gets them ahead of their competitors when sales start picking up. With a New Year approaching, now is the perfect time to get a fresh start on your PR planning.

Shannon Cherry, APR, MA helps businesses, entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations to be heard. Subscribe today for Be Heard! a FREE biweekly ezine and get a FREE special report. Go to: http://www.cherrycommunications.com/FreeReport.htm

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Publicity is obtaining editorial coverage or features for your business. Publicity is getting your business reported as news. Examples of publicity are newspaper and magazine articles, radio and television interviews and Internet forums and much more. These are just a few reasons you should consider letting your business tap into the power of publicity.

1. Effective Publicity has been proven to be 10 times more effective than traditional advertising. Your customers believe what they read in the newspaper or watch on the TV news because humans by nature believe what is reported to them as news.

2. Affordable Obtaining publicity can cost as little as $0 dollars. Business owners can substitute a little time and imagination for money or hire publicity professionals, many of which have very affordable rates when compared to advertising.

3. 3rd Party Credibility Having reporters write about your business in a news format gives your business 3rd party credibility thats extremely valuable. Anyone can sing their own business praises, but getting respected people in the media to do it provides a type of credibility that ads and money just cant buy.

There are numerous other reasons to use publicity. Next time you are looking for a new way to get the word out about your business, consider tapping into the power of publicity.

About The Author

Jenna Roman co-owns and operates JR Publicity, an Englewood, NJ-based public relations and marketing company with her husband, Josh Roman. For additional information, visit http://www.jrpublicity.com.

info@jrpublicity.com

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Firstly, should Oprah Winfrey call about your small business be prepared to have a backup plan for increased productions and delivery! Receiving a phone call from Oprah Winfreys camp is like winning the mega lottery for any size business. This woman has the absolute power to create instant overnight business success. Thats why every small business should inline their company to receive this recognition.

You are most likely saying to yourself, why would Oprah Winfrey even call about my little small business? Remember that Oprah is self made and she profiles businesses that have strong storylines attached to them. Opps, I just told you the main secret to make Oprah call already! Oprah Winfrey likes local headlines and she likes to profile small businesses that achieve this success. Which as a small business this is the easiest task to accomplish on a local level. Local newspapers as fueled by small business storylines and success stories.

Do you have to be making tons of money to get your small business noticed in the local news? Laugh out loud! Heck no, most small businesses profiled in the local news are generally there because of their business concept and small business niche approach.

Again, why would Oprah Winfrey want to profile a small business? Local newspapers look for small businesses with unique business niches and approaches. When you opened the doors of your small business you most likely had an idea of what would make you different or even better. There you have it that is your niche or better know to local news reporters as a pitch! Oprah is moved by business storylines to which any size business can make a difference.

Make Oprah find you first! After all she will never take your calls no matter how many times you call. The biggest secret to make Oprah call is to standout in the crowd! Local Realtors should offer niche services that will gather local press attention. An example would be to hold a seminar on how to help baby boomers solve housing problems. Find a niche that makes your business standout and pitch it for media attention. A Bankruptcy Attorney could hold a free seminar on how to reorganize debt keying in on national crisis like stopping foreclosures, etc.

A little known secret to make Oprah find your small business is to use press releases. Local journalists often reviews and covers storylines directly from press releases. A well written press release could put you one step closer to helping the Queen of Media Oprah Winfrey find your small business!

CR Cataunya Ransom is the Co-founder of Mosnar Communications, INC. She developed a niche for Luxury PR & Global Marketing. Guiding clients on how to brand, market, and promote luxury products, events, and services. Highly respected as a luxury public relations expert! CR consults clients and speaks to audiences about luxury public relations and global marketing practices. http://www.mosnarcommunications.com/prpromo.html

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Although the homeless situation in the United States of America is under the radar and is only about 500,000 people, which is statistically lower than any other nation in the world, it still drives people crazy. Additionally we do need to do something about the homeless folks in our nation, but unfortunately homeless shelters are something that no one wants in the community.

The NIMBY affect is alive and well when it comes to people who wish to put in a homeless shelter. No one wants homeless people all around their businesses or in their neighborhoods, as it attracts the wrong element and potentially can lead to theft in the area. Homeless shelters need to be very aware of the importance of public relations and community goodwill in their local areas.

Convincing local residents, that a homeless shelter will be going in down the street usually sends a firestorm of frenzy to the local planning commission meeting. However, if the homeless shelters promoters can do a bang up PR job in advance using all the local media and getting local politicians and community leaders to sign on to the project, then much of the outrage can be eliminated before it starts.

We must do something about the homeless situation in the United States of America and homeless shelters are the answer to help those that want to get off the street with an easier path. Please consider this in 2006.

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Simply that the behaviors of their most important outside audiences rank pretty low on their list of things to worry about. And this despite the reality that, properly cared for, those behaviors can affect whether or not those managers achieve their managerial objectives.

Unfortunately, many business, non-profit and association public relations budgets are used pretty much to produce newspaper and radio mentions, or to fund somebodys favorite special event. And this at a time when they should be driving an action plan that persuades those key external stakeholders to the PR users way of thinking, then moves those audiences to take actions that help departments, divisions or subsidiaries succeed.

After all, since thats public relations strongest suit, shouldnt you be getting that first, THEN incremental publicity exposure?

Run this idea by the public relations team assigned to your unit: 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.

If you get agreement, youll share a simple blueprint that gets everyone working towards the same external audience behaviors insuring that your public relations effort stays focused.

And theres no end to the possible benefits: capital givers or specifying sources beginning to look your way; prospects starting to do business with you; membership applications on the rise; customers making repeat purchases; community leaders beginning to seek you out; welcome bounces in show room visits; fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; higher employee retention rates, and even politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.

But first, you need to find out who among your important outside audiences is behaving in ways that help or hinder the achievement of your objectives. And then, list them according to how severely their behaviors affect your organization.

Are you really certain as to HOW most members of that key outside audience perceive your organization? Since theres a good chance you dont have the budget to accommodate expensive professional survey work, you and your PR colleagues (they should be quite familiar with perception and behavior matters) must monitor those perceptions yourself.

Sit down with members of that outside audience and ask questions like Are you familiar with our services or products? Have you ever had contact with anyone from our organization? Was it a satisfactory experience? Stay alert to negative statements, especially evasive or hesitant replies. Watch carefully for false assumptions, untruths, misconceptions, inaccuracies and potentially damaging rumors. Any of which will need to be corrected, because experience shows they usually lead to negative behaviors.

Now, because the obvious objective here is to correct those same untruths, inaccuracies, misconceptions and false assumptions, you must select the specific perception to be altered which, in turn, becomes your public relations goal.

Unfortunately, a PR goal without a strategy to show you how to get there, is like Shrimp Lo Mein without the noodles. Thats why you must select one of three strategies especially designed to create perception or opinion where there may be none, or change existing perception, or reinforce it. The challenge here (albeit small) is to insure that the goal and its strategy match each other. You wouldnt want to select change existing perception when current perception is just right suggesting a reinforce strategy.

Writing ability comes to the fore here as you create a compelling message carefully designed to alter your key target audiences perception, if called for by your public relations goal.

Heres a tip. Combining your corrective message with another news announcement or presentation may lend more credibility by downplaying the need for such a correction.

Be very clear about what perception needs clarification or correction, and why. Your facts must be truthful and your position must be logically explained and believable if it is to hold the attention of members of that target audience, and actually move perception in your direction. In other words, your message must be compelling.

You could call the communications tactics you will use to move your message to the attention of that key external audience, beasts of burden because they must carry your persuasive new thoughts to the eyes and ears of those important outside people.

Luckily, the list of tactics is extensive. It includes letters- to-the-editor, brochures, press releases and speeches. Or, you might select radio and newspaper interviews, personal contacts, facility tours or customer briefings. There are dozens in waiting and the only selection requirement is that the communications tactics you choose have a record of reaching people just like the members of your key target audience.

By the way, things can always be moved along at a faster clip by adding more communications tactics, AND by increasing their frequencies.

It wont be long before those around you will be asking if any progress is being made. By which time you already will be hard at work remonitoring perceptions among your target audience members. Using questions similar to those used during your earlier monitoring session, youll now be on the lookout for indications that audience perceptions are beginning to move the way you want them to move.

The best way to satisfy your associates curiosity is with the results you will receive when you undertake this aggressive public relations plan. In other words, targeting 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 mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net. Robert A. Kelly 2004.

About The Author

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 communi- cations, 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:bobkelly@TNI.net. Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

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Decide once and for all that instead of your business,
non-profit, government agency or association public
relations staff spending most of their time moving
messages from one point to another using simple
communications tactics, you really want the best PR
has to offer.

And that almost always means doing something both
positive and meaningful about the behaviors of those
important outside audiences of yours whose behaviors
MOST affect the departmental, divisional or subsidiary
unit you manage.

This assumes, by the way, that you are a manager who
needs and wants the kind of public relations effort that
leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives.

You can do this by persuading key outside folks of
yours to your way of thinking by helping move them
to take actions that help your department, group, division
or subsidiary succeed. But it can only happen when you
as a manager require more than tactics like special events,
news releases and broadcast plugs. Thats when youll
receive the quality public relations results you deserve.

The good news is that theres a solid foundation under-
pinning this approach to managerial public relations:
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.

More good news for managers lies in the kind of PR
end-products that can come your way. For example, new
proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures start
showing up; community leaders begin to seek you out;
capital givers or specifying sources start to look your
way; welcome bounces in show room visits occur;
politicians and legislators begin looking at you as a key
member of the business, non-profit or association
communities; customers begin to make repeat
purchases; and membership applications start to rise.

Your public relations professionals are your shock
troops in making this work. They are already in the
perception and behavior business, and can handle your
data gathering activity, an essential component of your
new opinion monitoring project. However, you should
satisfy yourself that your PR staff really accepts why
its SO important to know how your most important
outside audiences perceive your operations, products
or services. Essentially, be sure they truly believe that
perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can
help or hurt your operation.

Invest some time in going over your plans for
monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning
members of your most important outside audiences.
Propose that the staff consider questions like these:
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?

By the way, hiring survey pros to handle the opinion
gathering work, can result in costs exceeding the cost
of using your own staff people. But whether its 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.

As is always the case in administering programs, you
need to establish a clearcut and realistic PR goal
calling for action on the most serious problem areas
you uncovered during your key audience perception
monitoring. You may decide to straighten out that
dangerous misconception, bring to an end that
potentially painful rumor, or correct that gross
inaccuracy.

As you might suspect, it will be necessary to connect
your new goal to an action-oriented strategy that
shows how to get to where youre going. Actually,
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
red-eye gravy on your clams casino. So be sure your
new strategy fits well with your new public relations
goal. You certainly dont want to select change
when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.

Moving a key audience to your way of thinking is never
a cakewalk. The first step is certainly asking your
teams best writer to prepare a persuasive message
that will help move that key audience to your view of
things. It has to be a carefully-written message targeted
directly at your key external audience. S/he 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.

Your message will be carried to the attention of your
target audience by the right communications tactics.
There are many tactics 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.

As always, how you communicate your message
remains a concern because its credibility is fragile
and always suspect. Which is why you may wish
initially to unveil your corrective message before
smaller meetings through presentations rather than
using higher-profile news releases.

In due course, youll want to compare where you are
now against the starting point to highlight progress
made since the programs inception. First, youll
be demonstrating, in the form of periodic progress
reports, how the monies spent on public relations
can pay off. However, its also an alert to start a
second perception monitoring session with
members of your external audience. Here, youll use
many of the same questions used in the benchmark
interviews. But now, you will be on strict alert for
signs that the bad news perception is being altered
in your direction.

On occasion, the program will show signs of slowing
down. Fortunately, adding more communications tactics,
and/or increasing their frequencies, usually solves that
problem.

I asked up front: Managers, Why Stress Over your PR?

Certainly, as outlined above, there will be little
justification for angst or stress among business, non-
profit, government agency or association managers
who pursue public relations solutions that lead directly
to achieving their managerial 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.
Word count is 1200 including guidelines and resource box.
Robert A. Kelly 2006.

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 , 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:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit: http://www.PRCommentary.com

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