| Public relation’s obvious values not only justify | | | | Public relations problems and challenges are usually |
| their expense, they make one wonder why any | | | | defined by what people |
| organization intent on achieving its goals and objectives | | | | THINK about a set of facts versus the truth of the |
| would want to pursue them without the support of a | | | | matter. Often, this is off-putting to people — |
| first-class public relations effort. | | | | somehow, it seems to mean that public relations is |
| True, some values may be less obvious, but they are | | | | without substance. But the key factor to remember |
| just as useful to organization life and operations as | | | | here is that how people PERCEIVE the facts leads |
| those public relations values that jump right off the | | | | inevitably to very real, predictable behaviors which can, |
| page. | | | | and often do create the clear and present public |
| Fundamental Value | | | | relations problems to which we commit our resources. |
| Just look at the fundamental premise of public relations: | | | | Measurement Value |
| People act on their perception of the facts leading to | | | | Yet another value of public relations is the reality that |
| behaviors about which something can be done. When | | | | all-important behavior changes can be clearly |
| public relations creates, changes or reinforces that | | | | monitored and assessed as to their degree of |
| opinion by reaching, persuading and | | | | success, i.e., gathering evidence for those paying the bill |
| moving-to-desired-action those people whose | | | | that the communications tactics have actually changed |
| behaviors affect the organization, the public relations | | | | behaviors. |
| mission is accomplished. | | | | We look for signs of this success via Internet chatter, |
| Reading those words, can anyone seriously question | | | | in print and broadcast news coverage, reports from |
| whether any organization — business, non-profit | | | | the field, letters-to-the-editor, consumer and customer |
| or public entity — should embrace this discipline? | | | | reactions, shareholder letters, comments from |
| I believe the gold medal value is contained in that very | | | | community leaders, informal polls of employees, |
| fundamental premise — i.e., the behaviors of | | | | retirees, industrial neighbors and localbusinesses as well |
| your key audiences are crucial to the success of your | | | | as feedback gathered from suppliers and the reaction |
| organization. If those audiences don’t behave as | | | | from elected officials, union leaders and government |
| you would like them to, achieving your | | | | agencies. |
| organization’s most important goals and | | | | Of course this places a special burden on each tactic |
| objectives will be immensely more difficult. | | | | selected to carry themessage to a target audience: |
| The fundamental premise tells us that precisely | | | | does it/will it make a tangible,action-producing |
| because public relations zeros in on altering the | | | | contribution towards altering target |
| perceptions, and thus behaviors of your key target | | | | audienceperceptions and behaviors? If not, it should be |
| audiences, it helps you get to where you want to be. | | | | dropped and replaced with a tactic that does. This kind |
| Which strongly suggests that the proper application of | | | | of rolling evaluation is one of public relations’ less |
| public relations can be central not only to your | | | | obvious values, but a value, nonetheless, to the |
| organization’s success, but possibly to its very | | | | employer/client. |
| survival. | | | | Not surprisingly, this again spotlights the basic value |
| Strategic Value | | | | served-up by the discipline — we deliver the |
| Public opinion is the leverage that allows us to | | | | bacon to our employer/client who, first and foremost, |
| succeed. But our most significant contribution to | | | | wants a change in the behaviors of certain key |
| organizational achievement is the strategic ability to | | | | audiences leading directly to achieving his or her |
| create, change or reinforce existing public perception | | | | business objectives |
| and behaviors. It is this capability, this talent if you will, | | | | The End-Game For This Value-Rich Discipline? |
| that can lead an employer/client to organization | | | | When you as the employer/client measure our real |
| success. | | | | effectiveness, you will be fully satisfied with those |
| Tactical Value | | | | public relations results only when our reach, |
| Equally valuable is public relation’s ability to | | | | persuade and move-to-action efforts produce that |
| follow with carefully selected tactics tailored to reach | | | | visible modificationin the behaviors of those people you |
| target audiences with effective communications, to | | | | wish to influence. In my view, this is the central, |
| create and also tailor persuasive messages designed | | | | strategic function of public relations, the basic context |
| to influence their perception/behavior, and to gain | | | | in which we must operate and the primary value we |
| momentum and impact by implementing those tactics | | | | provide. |
| with pinpoint accuracy and timing. | | | | Still, no matter what strategic plan we create to solve |
| In the process, the employer/client receives value and | | | | a problem, no matter what tactical program we put in |
| benefits when public relations gains and holds the | | | | place, at the end of the day we must modify |
| understanding and acceptance of those audiences, | | | | somebody’s behavior if we are to provide that |
| those publics, without which his or her organization | | | | primary value. |
| cannot prosper. | | | | But the best part is that when the behavioral changes |
| Reputational Value | | | | become apparent, and meet the program’s |
| Concurrently in the process, the organization’s | | | | original behavior modification goal, three satisfying |
| reputation is burnished delivering value that only | | | | values are realized: |
| strengthens its ability to pursue successfully its goals | | | | One, the public relations program is a success. Two, by |
| and objectives. | | | | achieving the behavioral goal you set at the beginning, |
| A successful business benefitting from public relations | | | | you are using a dependable and accurate public |
| values such as these is more able to meet its | | | | relations performance measurement. And three, when |
| obligations to society as a good corporate citizen, | | | | our reach, persuade and move-to-desired-action |
| taxpayer, employer and reliable maker/supplier of | | | | efforts produce a visiblemodification in the behaviors of |
| quality, fairly-priced goods or services — thus | | | | those people you wish to influence, you are using public |
| delivering enormous value by serving the public interest. | | | | relations’ core value to its very best advantage. |