Are You Cool With This?

Managers can be cool, right? Right! Especially				that gross
business,				inaccuracy, or stopping that potentially fatal
non-profit, public entity and association managers				rumor.If you are to be successful in achieving
who				your new PR goal,
combine a sound public relations strategy with				you will need a solid strategy to back it up. One
effective				that clearly
communications tactics leading directly to the				indicates to you and the PR staff how to
bottom line				proceed. But
--perception altered, behavior modified, employer				remember that there are just three strategic
client				options available
/member objective achieved.If you don't as yet				to you when it comes to handling a perception
fall into that category, you may be				and opinion
interested in embracing the notion of doing				challenge. Change existing perception, create
something				perception
positive about the behaviors of the very outside				where there may be none, or reinforce it. The
audiences				wrong
that MOST affect your operation.The result				strategy pick will taste like liver-stuffed ravioli. So,
might be a surprise as you start to persuade				be
your key external audiences to your way of				certain the new strategy fits well with your new
thinking, then				public
move them to take actions that allow your				relations goal. Obviously, you don't want to select
department,
group, division or subsidiary to succeed.But why				"change" when the facts dictate a "reinforce"
be surprised when all that is required is a first				strategy.Now, because persuading an audience to
class plan, a plan that will get each of your team				your way of
members				thinking is not easy, those PR folks of yours
and organizational colleagues working towards the				must come
same external				up with words that are not only compelling,
stakeholder behaviors?Actually, I wouldn't be				persuasive
approaching the subject this way if				and believable, but clear and factual. Only in this
there wasn't such a plan especially designed to				way
keep a manager's				will you be able to correct a perception by
public relations effort "on message:" for example,				shifting
people act				opinion towards your point of view, leading to the
on their own perception of the facts before
them, which leads				behaviors you are targeting.Your public relations
to predictable behaviors about which something				staff can regularly reevaluate the
can be done.				message to reconfirm that it's up to snuff and
When we create, change or reinforce that				really
opinion by reaching,				persuasive. Next, you'll want to select the
persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very				communications
people whose				tactics most likely to carry that message to the
behaviors affect the organization the most, the				attention
public relations				of your target audience. There are scores of
mission is usually accomplished.We're fortunate				available
that we won't have to wait long for results to				tactics. From speeches, facility tours, emails and
appear. For instance, capital givers or specifying				brochures to
sources				consumer briefings, media interviews,
looking your way; prospects starting to work				newsletters,
with you; customers				personal meetings and many others. Just be
making repeat purchases; improved relations with				certain that
government				those you pick are known to reach folks just like
agencies and legislative bodies; a rebound in				your
showroom visits;				audience members.More often than you might
membership applications on the rise; new				guess, the credibility of the
thoughtleader and				message itself can actually depend on the
special event contacts; new proposals for				perception of
strategic alliances				its delivery method. So, you may decide to kick
and joint ventures; fresh community service and				off the
sponsorship				corrective message by unveiling it before smaller
opportunities; and even stronger relationships				gatherings
with the				rather than using higher-profile tactics such as
educational, labor, financial and healthcare				news releases.It's also advisable to schedule a
communities.The way in which you use your PR				followup perception
staff will impact your				monitoring session with members of your
success as a manager. Will you use your regular				external audience.
public				You and your PR people should plan another visit
relations staff? People assigned to you from				to the
above?				field where you can gather comparative data for
Or will it be PR agency staff? Regardless, they				use in
must be				producing progress reports. You'll want to use
committed to you as the senior project				many of
manager, and to				the same questions used in the benchmark
the PR blueprint starting with key audience				session. Only
perception				this time, you will be watching very carefully for
monitoring.It would be a good idea at this time to				signs
satisfy yourself				that the bad news perception is being altered in
that team members really believe that it's				your direction.Things can always slow down. So be
crucially important				ready to accelerate
to know how your most important outside				matters with more communications tactics and
audiences				increased
perceive your operations, products or services.				frequencies.What you've now accomplished is
Be certain				simply this. You've moved
they buy the reality that perceptions almost				beyond tactics like special events, brochures,
always lead to				broadcast plugs
behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.Another				and press releases to achieve the very best
good idea is a review of the PR blueprint with				public relations
staff. In particular your plan for monitoring and				has to offer.And what makes it REALLY
gathering				interesting is combining a
perceptions by questioning members of your				sound public relations strategy supported by
most				effective
important outside audiences. Questions like these:				communications tactics leading directly to the
				bottom line -
how much do you know about our organization?				perception altered, behavior modified, employer
Have you had prior contact with us and were				client/member
you				objective achieved.Robert A. Kelly Â©
pleased with the exchange? How much do you				2006.Please feel free to publish this article in your
know				ezine,
about our services or products and employees?				newsletter, offline publication or website. Only
Have				requirement: you must use the Robert A. Kelly
you experienced problems with our people or				byline
procedures?While costly, outside survey counsel				and resource box.Bob Kelly counsels and writes
can be used in the				for business, non-profit, public
perception monitoring phases of your program.				entity and association managers about using the
But keep				fundamental
in mind that your PR people are also in the				premise of public relations to achieve their
perception				operating objectives.
and behavior business and can pursue the same				He has authored over 250 articles on the subject
objective:				which are listed
identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded				at EzineArticles.com, click Expert Author, click
rumors,				Robert A. Kelly.
inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other				He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR,
negative				Texaco Inc.;
perception that might translate into hurtful				VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News
behaviors.The most harmful issues turned up				Shipbuilding &
during your key				Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S.
audience perception monitoring will demand that				Department of
you do				the Interior, and deputy assistant press
something about them. This will turn out to be				secretary, The White
your new				House. He holds a bachelor of science degree
public relations goal calling, for example, for				from Columbia
straightening				University, major in public relations.
out that dangerous misconception, or correcting

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Are You Cool With This?