| The short answer is, it works best when its | | | | reinforce it. |
| fundamental premise is the guide, which insures that | | | | What you say to members of your target audience is |
| the primary focus of your public relations program is | | | | really important. After all, you're trying to change |
| the behaviors of your most important outside | | | | perceptions, and that requires a message that is not |
| audiences. Not less urgent matters like personalities, | | | | only crystal-clear, but persuasive and believable. So, |
| communi- cations tactics or administrative concerns. | | | | when you say the misconception, inaccuracy or rumor |
| PR strives to effectively manage the perceptions and | | | | should be corrected, be sure your facts are rock-solid, |
| behaviors of your outside audiences with the goal of | | | | credible and, hopefully, compelling. |
| helping you achieve your organizational objectives. | | | | Run the message by your colleagues to test its |
| Pretty important stuff. | | | | chances of altering perception, then fine tune it. |
| But not difficult or complex. | | | | Your delivery system for moving your message to |
| Particularly when you get started on the right foot. | | | | members of your target audience is the |
| Namely, do an inventory and identify those groups of | | | | communications tactic. And there are scores of them |
| people whose behaviors have a clear impact on your | | | | available to you. From newspaper interviews, radio talk |
| organization. | | | | shows, emails, speeches and brochures to op-eds, |
| Because how those folks think about you and your | | | | community briefings, newsletters, personal contacts |
| organization usually leads to those helpful/hurtful | | | | and many others. |
| behaviors, job #1 is, find out how they perceive you | | | | How will you know if you are making progress? |
| right now. | | | | Once your communications tactics have had six or |
| You and your colleagues must monitor those | | | | seven weeks to make an impact on your target |
| perceptions, interact with those target audience | | | | audience, go back out among audience members and |
| individuals and pose lots of questions. What do you | | | | ask the same questions all over again. The big |
| think of us? Have you ever had a problem with our | | | | difference the second time around is, you are now |
| service? But remain alert to signs of negativity like | | | | looking for signs that opinion has been altered with |
| hesitant or evasive responses, misconceptions, rumors | | | | regard to the problem perception. And watch |
| or inaccuracies. | | | | especially for altered perceptions that include the |
| With those responses in hand, you establish your public | | | | corrective elements of your message. |
| relations goal. For example, correct a specific | | | | As you continue monitoring key audience opinion |
| inaccuracy, clear up that misconception, or neutralize a | | | | perceptions, positive changes should begin appearing |
| damaging rumor. | | | | and, inevitably, lead to the behavior changes you want. |
| Next question: how do I get from here to there? You | | | | In public relations, it doesn't get much better than that. |
| need a strategy. But in dealing with opinion change, you | | | | Please feel free to publish this article and resource box |
| have just three possibilities. Create opinion/perception | | | | in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. |
| where there may be none, change existing opinion, or | | | | A copy would be appreciated at . |