subject: A Great Way to Make Public Relations [print this page] A Great Way to Make Public Relations A Great Way to Make Public Relations
As a non-profit or association business manager, trying to get a bang for your PR buck, you could pretty much concentrate on simple print and broadcast reports or, for that matter, the whole basket full of equipment public relations including old favorites like the verbal high-visibility appearances and special events of general interest.
But if you really want the results of a public relations premium, you should use a broader, more comprehensive and workable public relations plan to change the basic, external perceptions of your audience? Perceptions leading to changed behaviors that should achieve the managerial goals.
In short, you had better take steps to persuade those key external stakeholders with the greatest influence in your organization to your way of thinking, then move them to take steps that help your department, section or branch succeeds.
The public relations plan is the best place to start: people act on their 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 - like-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.
Regular publicity, of course, their role in the sketch, but not be-all and end-all plan public relations, nor should it be.
Prospects starting to do business with you, and customers starting to make repeat purchases of fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures are welcome bounces room visits are rising membership applications, and community leaders beginning to seek out your new approaches with key donors and the clarification of the sources, not to mention politicians and legislators viewing you as a key member of the non-profit or association communities, businesses,
But who will do the job that such results require? People appointed by the corporate office to your unit? Possibly full-time staff of your public relations? Or even an outside PR agency team? Whatever it is, must be committed to you in public relations plan and implementation, starting with the basic control concept audiences.
Sad to say, just because someone describes him / herself as a public relations person not mean that they accept public relations as they understand them. So by all means make sure that public relations people assigned to your unit really believe it is important to know how important outside audiences perceive your processes, products or services. Make sure you accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.
Sharpen your plan? Your profile - on the control and collection of perceptions by questioning members of your most important external audiences. Questions like these: how do you know about us? Have you met the principal executive or other senior managers us? Have you had other contacts with our staff and you were happy with the exchange? How do you know for services or our products and employees? Have you tried problems with people or our procedures?
Commercial companies use surveys perception monitoring phases of your program if you can afford. But your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, the unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that translate to hurtful behavior.
