| It seems difficult to believe at the dawn of the | | | | experience that there are only three ways a |
| 21st Century, that there existsa major discipline | | | | public relations effort can impact behavior: create |
| with so many diverse, partial, incomplete and | | | | opinion where it doesn't exist, reinforce existing |
| limited interpretations of its mission. Here, just a | | | | opinion or change that opinion. No surprise that the |
| sampling of professional opinionon what public | | | | process by which those goals are realized is |
| relations is all about: | | | | known as public relations. While behavior is the |
| * talking to the media on behalf of a client. | | | | goal, and a host of communications tactics are |
| * selling a product, service or idea. | | | | the tools, our strategy is the leverage provided |
| * reputation management. | | | | by public opinion. |
| * engineering of perception | | | | We also learned the hard way that when your |
| * doing good and getting credit for it. | | | | employer/client starts looking for a return on his |
| * attracting credit to an organization for doing | | | | or her public relations investment, it becomes |
| good and limiting the downside when it does bad | | | | clear in a hurry that the goal MUST be the kind of |
| While there is an element of truth in such | | | | change in the behaviors of key stakeholders that |
| definitions, most zero in on only part of what | | | | leads directly to achieving business objectives. |
| public relations is capable of doing, kind of a | | | | I also believe that we should advise our |
| halfway fundamental premise. Worse, they fail to | | | | newcomers that if their employers/clients ever |
| answer the question, to what end do they lead? | | | | say they're not getting the behavior changes they |
| Few even mention the REAL end-game -- | | | | paid for, they're probably wasting the money |
| behavior modification -- the goal against which all | | | | they're spending on public relations. |
| public relations activity must be held accountable. | | | | Here's why I say that. Once again, we know that |
| Here's my opinion about the fundamental premise | | | | people act on their perception of the facts, that |
| of public relations: People act on their perception | | | | those perceptions lead to certain behaviors, and |
| of the facts leading to behaviors about which | | | | that something can be done about those |
| something can be done. When public relations | | | | perceptions and behaviors that leads to achieving |
| creates, changes or reinforces that opinion by | | | | the employer/client's business objectives. |
| reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action | | | | Which means s/he really CAN establish the |
| those people whose behaviors affect the | | | | desired behavior change up front, then insist on |
| organization, the public relations mission is | | | | getting that result before pronouncing the public |
| accomplished. | | | | relations effort a success. |
| Even when we feel certain about the fundamental | | | | In other words, the way to increase their |
| premise of public relations, maybe we should take | | | | comfort level about their public relations |
| another look? Because if we are wrong, at best | | | | investment, is to make certain that investment |
| we miss out on public relation's enormous benefits. | | | | produces the behavior modification they said they |
| At worst, we can damage ourselves and our | | | | wanted at the beginning of the program, |
| organizations. | | | | That way, they KNOW they're getting their |
| The fundamental premise suggests that, to help | | | | money's worth. |
| achieve true competitive advantage, management | | | | I would be remiss here if I omitted reference to |
| must insure that its public relations investment is | | | | the difficulties those new to the field will |
| committed directly to influencing the organization's | | | | encounter in attempting to evaluate public |
| most important audiences. And THEN insure that | | | | relations performance. Often, they will find |
| the tacticians efficiently prepare and communicate | | | | themselves using highly-subjective, very limited |
| messages that will influence those audience | | | | and only partially applicable performance |
| perceptions and, thus, behaviors. For non-profits | | | | judgments. Among them, inquiry generation, story |
| or public sector entities, the emphasis would be on | | | | content analysis, gross impressions and even |
| achieving the organization's primary objectives. | | | | advertising value equivalent to the publicity space |
| What is the alternative when we see some public | | | | obtained. |
| relations people managing to go through their | | | | The main reason for this sorry state of affairs is |
| entire careers without a firm grasp of the | | | | the lack of affordable public opinion survey |
| fundamental premise of public relations? Their | | | | products that could demonstrate conclusively that |
| responses to crises, or to requests for well | | | | the public relations perception and behavioral goal |
| thought-out solutions to public relations problems, | | | | set at the beginning of the program was, in fact, |
| reveal a serious lack of understanding. They | | | | achieved. Usually, opinion surveys adequate to the |
| confuse the basic function of public relations with | | | | job of establishing beyond doubt that a behavioral |
| any number of tactical parts that make up the | | | | goal was achieved, are cost-prohibitive, often far |
| whole, such as publicity, crisis management or | | | | in excess of the overall cost of the public relations |
| employee relations. Understandably, they feel | | | | program itself! |
| unsure in approaching public relations problems, | | | | However, young people, all is not lost. Obviously, |
| then uncertain about what counsel to give their | | | | some behavioral changes are immediately visible, |
| clients. Many, relying on career-long misconceptions | | | | such as customers returning to showrooms, |
| about public relations, forge ahead anyway | | | | environmental activists abandoning plant gate |
| advising the client ineffectively sometimes with | | | | protests or a rapidly improving job retention rate. |
| damaging, if not dangerous counsel. | | | | We follow less obvious behavioral change by |
| In seeking a solution to this challenge to | | | | monitoring indicators that directly impact behavior |
| understanding, we cannot rely solely on tactics or | | | | such as comments in community meetings and |
| even emulate the artillery training commander | | | | business speeches, local newspaper, radio and TV |
| who tells his student gunners "point your guns in | | | | editorials, emails from target audience members |
| any direction and fire when you feel like it!" | | | | and thought-leaders, and public statements by |
| Instead, just as that artillery commander teaches | | | | political figures and local celebrities. |
| his newbie gunners to carefully analyze their | | | | We even shadow our own communications |
| target and precisely what they must do to reach | | | | tactics trying to monitor their impact on audience |
| it, so it is with public relations. | | | | perception -- tactics such as face-to-face |
| Our best opportunity resides at the get-go where | | | | meetings, Internet ezines and email, hand-placed |
| we really can make certain our public relations | | | | newspaper and magazine feature articles and |
| students CLEARLY understand the basic premise | | | | broadcast appearances, special consumer |
| of public relations at the beginning of their careers. | | | | briefings, news releases, announcement luncheons, |
| AND that they have an equally clear | | | | onsite media interviews, facility tours, brochures |
| understanding of the organizational context -- | | | | and even special events like promotional contests, |
| business, non-profit or public sector -- in which | | | | financial road shows, awards ceremonies, trade |
| they will be expected to apply what they have | | | | conventions, celebrity appearances and open |
| learned, and in which they must operate | | | | houses -- each designed to impact individual |
| successfully. | | | | perception and behavior. |
| Bushy-tailed and bright with promise, the new | | | | And it does work -- we ARE able to demonstrate |
| generation of public relations professionals must | | | | an impact on perception and behavior for the |
| learn that their employer/client wants us to apply | | | | employer/client. But affordable professional opinion |
| our special skills in a way that helps achieve his or | | | | behavioral surveys would be the best solution. |
| her business objectives. And that no matter what | | | | Clearly, solving this problem remains a major |
| strategic plan we create to solve a problem, no | | | | challenge for both the public relations and survey |
| matter what tactical program we put in place, at | | | | disciplines. |
| the end of the day we must modify somebody's | | | | One more piece of advice for the soon-to-be |
| behavior if we are to earn our money. | | | | public relations professional. As we begin to |
| The best part is, when the behavioral changes | | | | achieve proficiency in public relations, an action |
| become apparent, and meet the program's original | | | | pathway to success also begins to appear: |
| behavior modification goal, three benefits appear. | | | | * identify the problem |
| One, the public relations program is a success. | | | | * identify target audiences |
| Two, by achieving the behavioral goal we set at | | | | * set the public relations goal |
| the beginning, we are using a dependable and | | | | * set the public relations strategy |
| accurate public relations performance | | | | * prepare persuasive messages |
| measurement. And three, when our "reach, | | | | * select and implement key communications |
| persuade and move-to-desired-action" efforts | | | | tactics |
| produce a visible modification in the behaviors of | | | | * monitor progress |
| those people we wish to influence, we are using | | | | * and the end game? Meet the behavior |
| public relations' special strengths to their very best | | | | modification goal. |
| advantage. | | | | I hope these remarks contribute to a broadened |
| Budding professionals should learn at the beginning | | | | understanding of the fundamental function of |
| of their careers that most employers and clients | | | | public relations in our organizations, especially |
| are not primarily interested in our ability to | | | | among our entry-level colleagues. In particular, |
| fraternize with the media, communicate or paint | | | | how it can strengthen relationships with those |
| images. Nor are they especially fascinated with | | | | important groups of people -- those target |
| our efforts to identify target audiences, set public | | | | audiences, those "publics" whose perceptions and |
| relations goals and strategies, write persuasive | | | | behaviors can help or hinder the achievement of |
| messages, select communications tactics, et al. | | | | our employer/client's business objectives. |
| What the employer/client invariably DOES want is | | | | A final thought for those entering or planning to |
| a change in the behaviors of certain key | | | | enter the field of public relations -- you'll know |
| audiences which leads directly to the achievement | | | | you've arrived at each public relations end game |
| of their business objectives. Hence, the emphasis | | | | when the changes in behaviors become truly |
| in this article on careful planning for altered key | | | | apparent through feedback such as increased |
| audience perceptions and modified behaviors. | | | | numbers of positive media reports, encouraging |
| Which explains why quality preparation and the | | | | supplier and thought-leader comment, and |
| degree of behavioral change it produces, defines | | | | increasingly upbeat employee and community |
| success or failure for a public relations program. | | | | chatter. |
| Done correctly, when public relations results in | | | | In other words, sound strategy combined with |
| modified behaviors among groups of people vitally | | | | effective tactics leads directly to the bottom line |
| important to any organization, we could be talking | | | | -- altered perceptions, modified behaviors, and a |
| about nothing less than its survival. | | | | public relations homerun. |
| But why, young people, do we feel so strongly | | | | Please feel free to publish this article and resource |
| about the fundamental premise of public relations? | | | | boxin your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or |
| Because some of us have learned from leaders in | | | | website. |
| the field, from mentors and from long years of | | | | A copy would be appreciated at . |