What Does the Public Relations Client Really Want, and
Why?
by Robert A. Kelly
Published on this site: July 21st, 2005 - See
more articles from this month...
It's not unusual for clients of service providers to insist
that their budget dollars be quickly applied to a variety
of flashy tactics. Yet, when pressed, many acknowledge that
what they REALLY want for their money is visible, end-game
change.
This is especially true in public relations where clients
often second-guess careful plans for achieving that end-game
change by insisting on premature use of tactics like news
releases, talk-show appearances and sports sponsorships.
But obviously, flashy tactics alone will not satisfy those
clients once they start looking for a return on their public
relations investment. Because it is then that it becomes clear,
sometimes painfully, that their goal MUST be the kind of change
in the behaviors of key stakeholders that lead directly to
achieving their business objectives. Thus, it is quality planning,
and the degree of behavioral change it produces, that eventually
captures client attention, not tactics.
These days, with public relations budgets always in mortal
danger, tactical chats between a client CEO and public relations
counsel probably sound like this: "Do something about
those activists chaining themselves to our plant gate and
yelling that our emissions go into the river. It's costing
us big money each day that plant is shut down."
Or, "How are we going to calm down those Garden Club
members down in the lobby waving around those cockamamie newspaper
reports and talking to the TV cameras about the additives we use? Where'd that reporter
get those numbers, anyway? It's costing us sales!"
Or, "Please people, what are you doing to encourage
a favorable Town Council vote on our petition for that new
highway off-ramp?"
What's common to each of those rants? The CEO is asking his
public relations people to modify somebody's behavior. He
doesn't want to talk tactics, or even strategies. He wants
those activists off his property, he wants those print and
broadcast reporters to do a fairer job of reporting on his
production methods (hopefully getting the Garden Clubbers
off his back), and he wants a real effort made to move public
opinion in a way that encourages local officials to approve
that badly needed vehicle ramp.
Modify somebody's behavior, that's his goal, and that's the
job of the public relations agency and its client's corporate
professionals. Fortunately, the key to a successful effort
is the fact that people really DO act on their perception
of the facts. In so doing, and in a cumulative way, they form
the very public opinion that those practitioners must now
inform.
So, what is their strategy? In short, to reach those perceptions
with the facts as they know them. Hopefully, the messages
they use will be clear and persuasive, and will change negative
or inaccurate perceptions, then alter behaviors in the client
company's direction.
Using the three examples above, when the activists become
satisfied with explanations of the company's new, public commitment
to correct their emission problems, the protesters can be expected to leave the plant
gates.
Editorial board meetings with local newspapers and television
stations will begin to bear fruit with more balanced reportage
of the company's efforts to meet emission standards which,
in turn, will reduce negative public opinion.
And, while the agency's briefing sessions with town council
staff will do little to hasten a formal vote, a targeted communications
effort is likely to lead to a community opinion poll showing
positive movement in public, then official sentiment about
the new highway off-ramp.
In the end, a sound public relations strategy combined with
effective tactics leads directly to the bottom line - perceptions
altered; behaviors modified; client satisfied.
Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business,
non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental
premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives.
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. He
holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University,
major in public relations. [email protected]
Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com
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