How can we be more successful in life than achieving the goal we set at the beginning of ANY effort? We can't!
Regardless of what business we’re in, we all want the value – let’s call it “money’s worth” -- we paid for up-front at the beginning of any program we undertake. Like, for instance, the money’s worth implicit in the underlying premise of public relations. Namely, people act on their own perception of the facts before them, leading to behaviors about which something can be done. When public relations creates, changes or reinforces that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action those people whose behaviors affect the organization, the public relations mission is accomplished and your money’s worth received. What that suggests, of course, is that you keep your eye on a project’s end game to make CERTAIN you get the planned behavior modification you agreed to back when the activity got underway. How can we be more successful in life than achieving the goal we set at the beginning of ANY effort? We can’t! It’s pure success and, in public relations, a sure way of getting your money’s worth. Why do I feel so strongly about the fundamental premise of public relations? Because some of us have learned from leaders in the field, from mentors and from long years of experience that there are only three ways a public relations effort can impact behavior: create opinion where it doesn't exist, reinforce existing opinion or change that opinion. No surprise that the process by which those goals are realized is known as public relations. While behavior is the goal, and a host of communications tactics are the tools, our strategy is the leverage provided by public opinion. Which means the first money’s worth is the fundamental value that alters target audience perceptions and, thus, behaviors and helps you get where you want to be. Next is tactical money’s worth. Carefully selected communications tactics are the work horses of public relations. They are effective communications carriers designed to reach target audiences containing specially tailored, persuasive messages aimed at influencing target audience perception and, thus, behavior. The list of available communications tactics is long, flexible and richly diverse. It offers us effective message carriers ranging from media publicity, special events, sponsorships and financial communications to public speeches, awards programs, brochures, annual reports, the worldwide Internet and many, many more. In the process, the employer/client receives yet another, essential money’s worth when public relations gains and holds the understanding and acceptance of those target audiences, those publics, without which his or her organization cannot prosper. At the same time, you get reputational value because, during the problem solving process, the organization’s reputation is or should be burnished. And that delivers enormous value to any organization because it strengthens its ability to pursue successfully its goals and objectives. And this, in turn, allows it to meet its obligations to society as a good corporate, association or 501-c-3 citizen. There’s still more money’s worth to come – now you get measurement value. In other words, gathering evidence for those paying the bill that the communications tactics have actually changed behaviors. You should look for signs of measured success via Internet chatter, in print and broadcast news coverage, reports from the field, letters-to-the-editor, consumer and customer reactions, shareholder letters, comments from community leaders and other feedback. Even more specific, you’re not going to get your public relations money’s worth if

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Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks about the fundamental premise of public relations. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

About the Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks about the fundamental premise of public relations. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com