| Decide once and for all to do something about those | | | | key target audience? Well, that depends largely on |
| outside audiences whose behaviors affect your | | | | what changes in perception and, thus, behaviors you |
| organization the most. | | | | want. Your message must be clear as a mountain |
| When members of those "publics" of yours perceive | | | | stream and, above all, factually believable and |
| and understand who and what you are, and like what | | | | persuasive. It should be direct and as compelling as |
| they see, the behaviors that flow from those | | | | possible. Might help to try it out on one or two audience |
| perceptions will put a smile on your face. | | | | members and get their reactions. |
| Good things happen like converting sales prospects | | | | Dare I call this part fun? Communications tactics, I |
| into customers, convincing existing customers to stay | | | | mean? There are dozens available and they all will |
| with you, or even toning down activist rhetoric. Even | | | | reach members of your key target audience with |
| internally, productivity often increases when employees | | | | varying degrees of efficiency. You could use personal |
| conclude that you really do care about them. | | | | meetings, emails, letters-to-the-editor and brochures, or |
| It's all possible when you commit your organization to | | | | you could try open houses, speeches, radio interviews |
| confront head-on those key target audience | | | | and even a news conference. There are many, many |
| perceptions and behaviors. | | | | more. |
| Easy to do? Well, it's not so hard when you have a | | | | But now, you can't avoid this. You must once again |
| roadmap to guide you. | | | | interact with members of your key target audience or |
| Right at the top, try listing, say, your top three outside | | | | you will never know if your goal, strategy, message |
| audiences whose behaviors can really affect the | | | | and communications tactics ever worked. |
| success of your organization. Let's pick the audience | | | | When you again meet with these individuals, you'll be |
| at the top of the list and go to work on it. | | | | asking questions similar to your first opinion monitoring |
| Can't take any chances on being wrong about what | | | | session. |
| they think of you, so now's the time to start interacting | | | | Difference this time is that you're hot on the trail of |
| with audience members. Ask a lot of questions. What | | | | altered perceptions because you know they will almost |
| do they think of your services or products? Is there a | | | | always lead to the change in behavior you really want. |
| hint of negativity in their answers? Do you detect the | | | | Does it look like you were successful in cleaning up |
| evil effects of a rumor? Are their facts inaccurate and | | | | that misconception? Or in rooting out that wrong but |
| in need of correction? | | | | deep- seated belief? Or shooting big round holes in |
| What information gathering like this does for you is let | | | | that mischievous rumor? |
| you form a public relations goal. It could be as simple | | | | If you're not happy with your progress, consider altering |
| as correcting an inaccurate perception, clearing up a | | | | the mix and frequency of your communications tactics. |
| misconception or spiking that nasty rumor. Your goal | | | | And don't forget to take a hard look at your message. |
| might even have to take aim at a widespread belief | | | | Was it REALLY clear? Did your facts and figures |
| that's just plain wrong. | | | | support your contention that the rumor is not only |
| With your goal set, how will you actually affect those | | | | unfair, but hurtfully wrong? |
| perceptions? Of course, that takes a successful | | | | Finally, as noted at the top of this piece, when |
| strategy. But when it comes down to really doing | | | | members of your key audiences really understand you |
| something about opinion, we have only three ways to | | | | and your organization, good things usually happen. |
| go: create opinion if there is none, change existing | | | | Things that really will put that smile on your face. |
| opinion, or reinforce it. Just make sure the strategy you | | | | Please feel free to publish this article and resource box |
| choose flows logically from the public relations goal | | | | in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. |
| you set. | | | | A copy would be appreciated at . |
| What exactly will you say to the members of your | | | | |