What is bad PR?

Well, if you’re a business, non-profit or associationmanager, bad PR does nothing positive about thebehaviors of those important outside audiences ofyours that most affect your operation.

It fails to create external stakeholder behavior changeleading directly to achieving your managerial objectives.

And it never does persuade those key outside folks toyour way of thinking, or move them to take actions thatallow your department, division or subsidiary to succeed.

Good PR, on the other hand, really CAN alter individualperception and lead to the changed behaviors you need.At the same time, however, it requires more than specialevents, brochures and news releases if you really want toget your PR money’s worth.

Your inoculation against bad PR is the underlying premiseof public relations, and here it is: people act on their ownperception of the facts before them, which leads topredictable behaviors about which something can be done.When we create, change or reinforce that opinion byreaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the verypeople whose behaviors affect the organization the most,the public relations mission is accomplished.

You may be surprised that good PR can generate results likeprospects starting to work with you; customers makingrepeat purchases; stronger relationships with the educational,labor, financial and healthcare communities; improvedrelations with government agencies and legislative bodies,and even capital givers or specifying sources looking your way

As the effort gains momentum, you can also see resultssuch as new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures;rebounds in showroom visits; membership applications on therise; community service and sponsorship opportunities; enhancedactivist group relations, and expanded feedback channels, notto mention new thoughtleader and special event contacts.

Just how vital is it that your most important outside audiencesreally perceive your operations, products or services in apositive light? Vital indeed, so assure yourself that your PRstaff has bought into the whole effort. Be especially carefulthat they accept the reality that perceptions almost alwayslead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Take the time to review the PR blueprint in detail withyour staff, especially how you will gather and monitormatters by questioning members of your most importantoutside audiences. Questions like these: how much do youknow about our organization? How much do you knowabout our services or products and employees? Have youhad prior contact with us and were you pleased with theinterchange? Have you experienced problems with ourpeople or procedures?

The perception monitoring phases of your program canobviously be handled by professional survey people, IF thebudget is available. But always keep in mind that your PRpeople are also in the perception and behavior business andcan pursue the same objective: identify untruths, falseassumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies,misconceptions and any other negative perception thatmight translate into hurtful behaviors.

Now, let’s talk about your public relations goal. You needone that speaks to the aberrations that showed up duringyour key audience perception monitoring. In all probability,it will call for straightening out that dangerous misconception,or correcting that gross inaccuracy, or doing something aboutthat damaging rumor.

The realities of public relations are that goals need strategiesto show you how to get there. And also that you have justthree strategic choices when it comes to handling a perceptionor opinion challenge: create perception where there maybe none, change the perception, or reinforce it. Unfortunately,a bad strategy pick will taste like ice cream on your cornedbeef and cabbage, so be certain the new strategy fits wellwith your new public relations goal. For example, you don’twant to select “change” when the facts dictate a “reinforce”strategy.

Your PR team must create just the right, corrective language.Persuading an audience to your way of thinking is awfullyhard work, so we’re looking for words that are compelling,persuasive and believable AND clear and factual. You mustdo this if you are to correct a perception by shifting opiniontowards your point of view, leading to the desired behaviors.

Here you must select the communications tactics most likelyto carry your words to the attention of your target audience.Meet again with your communications specialists and reviewyour message for impact and persuasiveness. You can pickfrom dozens of available tactics.

From speeches, facility tours,emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews,newsletters, personal meetings and many others. Just be surethat the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just likeyour audience members.

On the chance that the old line about the credibility of amessage depending on its delivery method is true, you mightthink about introducing it to smaller gatherings rather thanusing higher-profile communications such as news releases ortalk show appearances.

Consider yourself alerted when the topic of a progress reportis suggested. Time for you and your PR folks to return to thefield for a second perception monitoring session with membersof your external audience. Using many of the same questionsused in the first benchmark session, you’ll now be watchingvery carefully for signs that your communications tactics haveworked and that the negative perception is being altered in yourdirection.

If impatience rears its head, you can always accelerate thingswith a broader selection of communications tactics AND increased frequencies.

Obviously, this will convert bad PR into good PR by doingsomething positive about the behaviors of those importantoutside audiences of yours that most affect your operation.It will do the job by creating external stakeholder behaviorchange leading directly to achieving your managerialobjectives. And it will pull this off by persuading those keyoutside folks to your way of thinking, thus moving them totake actions that allow your business, non-profit or associationto succeed.

About the Author: 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 communi-cations, 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. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com

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Why risk the embarassment when with a little basic PRtraining, you as a business, non-profit or associationmanager can always be ready for battle?

Never again will you fail to do something positive aboutthe behaviors of those important outside audiences ofyours that MOST affect your operation.

Never again will you fail to create external stakeholderbehavior change leading directly to achieving yourmanagerial objectives.

And never again will you fail to persuade those key outsidefolks to your way of thinking, or move them to take actionsthat allow your department, division or subsidiary to succeed.

In fact, once you digest the underlying premise of publicrelations, you’ll understand how the right PR really CANalter individual perception and lead to those changedbehaviors you need. Here’s how it goes: people act on theirown perception of the facts before them, which leads topredictable behaviors about which something can be done.When we create, change or reinforce that opinion byreaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action thevery people whose behaviors affect the organization themost, the public relations mission is accomplished.

However – and this is a big however – it requires more thanspecial events, brochures and news releases if you reallywant to get your PR money’s worth.

For example, business, non-profit and association managerswho employ this kind of public relations can benefit fromresults such as new proposals for strategic alliances andjoint ventures; rebounds in showroom visits; membershipapplications on the rise; community service and sponsorshipopportunities; enhanced activist group relations, and expandedfeedback channels, not to mention new thoughtleader andspecial event contacts.

As time passes, you should see customers making repeatpurchases; prospects reappearing; stronger relationshipswith the educational, labor, financial and healthcarecommunities; improved relations with government agenciesand legislative bodies, and even capital givers or specifyingsources looking your way.

Obviously, you want your most important outside audiencesto really perceive your operations, products or services in apositive light. So be certain that your PR staff has boughtinto the whole effort. Convince yourself that they accept thereality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviorsthat can help or hurt your unit.

Get together and go over the PR blueprint carefully withyour staff, especially regarding how you will gather andmonitor perceptions by questioning members of your mostimportant outside audiences. Questions like these: howmuch do you know about our organization? How much doyou know about our services or products and employees?Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleasedwith the how things went? Have you experienced problemswith our people or procedures?

You can depend on professional survey people to handle theperception monitoring phases of your program IF thebudget is available. But luckily, your PR people are also inthe perception and behavior business and can pursue thesame objective: identify untruths, false assumptions,unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and anyother negative perception that might translate into hurtfulbehaviors.

Let’s chat for a moment about your public relations goal.You need one that addresses the problems that cropped upduring your key audience perception monitoring. Chances are,it will call for straightening out that dangerous misconception,or correcting that gross inaccuracy, or doing something aboutthat damaging rumor.

But as you surely know, goals need strategies to show youhow to get there. And you have just three strategic choiceswhen it comes to handling a perception or opinion challenge:create perception where there may be none, change theperception, or reinforce it. Unfortunately, selecting a badstrategy will taste like peanut butter on your sea scallops,so be certain the new strategy fits well with your new publicrelations goal. For example, you don’t want to select “change”when the facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Here the right, corrective language must be created, becausepersuading an audience to your way of thinking is awfullyhard work Especially when you’re looking for words that arecompelling, persuasive, believable AND clear and factual.This is a must if you are to correct a perception by shiftingopinion towards your point of view, leading to the desiredbehaviors. So, meet again with your communicationsspecialists and review your message for impact andpersuasiveness.

In order to carry your words to the attention of your targetaudience, you need to select the communications tactics mostlikely to reach them.

Happily there are dozens of availabletactics. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochuresto consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters,personal meetings and many others. Just be sure that thetactics you pick are known to reach folks just like youraudience members.

Occasionally, the credibility of your message can depend onits delivery method. So, consider introducing it to smallergatherings rather than using higher-profile communicationssuch as news releases or talk show appearances.

When you sense the need to provide a progress report, it’sprobably time for you and your PR folks to return to the fieldfor a second perception monitoring session with membersof your external audience. Using many of the same questionsused in the first benchmark session, stay alert for signs thatyour communications tactics have worked and that thenegative perception is being altered in your direction.

Should those around you wax impatient, things can always beaccelerated with a broader selection of communicationstactics AND increased frequencies.

You won’t get caught with your PR down when you applyyour budget to public relations activity that creates behaviorchange among your key outside audiences that leads directlyto achieving your managerial objectives.

That’s when it will become clear to you that the right PRreally CAN alter individual perception and lead to changedbehaviors that help you win.

About the Author: 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 communi-cations, 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. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=653&ca=Business

Unfortunately, there are managers who define publicrelations by its applications. Which explains neither itsunderlying strengths nor what PR is all about.

The casual observer is left with a confusion of tactical,application-oriented definitions of the public relationsfunction: Is it publicity? Crisis management? Specialevents? Reputation management? Promotion? Or a slewof other tactics in which we engage from time to time?

Which is it? More important, just what lies at the core ofmanagerial public relations anyway?

I believe the core lies in doing something positive aboutthe behaviors of those important outside audiences of yoursthat most affect your operation.

In other words, create external stakeholder behavior change –the kind that leads directly to achieving your managerialobjectives.

And do so by persuading those key outside folks to yourway of thinking, then help move them to take actions thatallow your department, division or subsidiary to succeed.

Luckily, there’s also a blueprint at the center of public relationsto help you cement that PR core for your own managerial benefit.

And it goes like this: People act on their own perception of thefacts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors aboutwhich something can be done. When we create, change orreinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect theorganization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

And for managers such as you, here’s the type of results thatcould emerge. Healthy bounces in show room visits; communityleaders seeking you out; prospects starting to do business withyou; membership applications on the rise; customers makingrepeat purchases; fresh proposals for strategic alliances andjoint ventures in the inbox; capital givers or specifying sourceslooking your way, and even politicians and legislatorsbeginning to view you as a key member of the business,non-profit or association communities.

You also need PR team members who understand that blueprintand commit themselves to its implementation, starting withkey audience perception monitoring. Let’s face it, your PRpeople are already in the perception and behavior business,so they should be of real use for this initial opinion monitoringproject.

Caveat: you must be certain your public relations people reallybelieve – deep down — why it’s SO important to know howyour most important outside audiences perceive youroperations, products or services. Make sure they accept thereality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors thatcan help or hurt your unit.

Talk it over with them, especially your plan for monitoringand gathering perceptions by questioning members of yourmost important outside audiences. Questions like these: howmuch do you know about our organization? Have you hadprior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange?Are you familiar with our services or products and employees?Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

While professional survey firms can always be hired to do theopinion monitoring work, they also can cost big bucks. So,whether it’s your people or a survey firm asking the questions,the objective remains the same: identify untruths, false assumptions,unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any othernegative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

The PR goal, obviously, is to do something about the mostserious distortions you discover during your key audienceperception monitoring. Will it be to straighten out thatdangerous misconception? Correct that gross inaccuracy?Or, stop that potentially bloody rumor dead in its tracks?

Truth is, you won’t get there at all without the right strategyto tell you how to proceed. But keep in mind that there are justthree strategic options available when it comes to doing somethingabout perception and opinion. Change existing perception, createperception where there may be none, or reinforce it. The wrongstrategy pick will taste like pepper flakes on your Crème Brulee,so be sure your new strategy fits well with your new publicrelations goal.

You wouldn’t want to select “change” whenthe facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Now it’s time to put together a well-written message and directit to members of your target audience. It’s always a challengeto create an actionable message that will help persuade anyaudience to your way of thinking.

You need your best scribes for this one because s/he must buildsome very special, corrective language. Words that are not merely compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual ifthey are to shift perception/opinion towards your point of viewand lead to the behaviors you have in mind.

Once you’ve run draft copy by your PR team, it’s on to the nextselection process — the communications tactics most likelyto carry your message to the attention of your target audience.There are scores that are available. From speeches, facility tours,emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews,newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But you mustbe certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks likeyour audience members,

By the way, you may wish to avoid “shouting too loud” andunveil your message before smaller meetings and presentationsrather than using higher-profile news releases, as the credibilityof any message is fragile and always at stake.

The people around you will start agitating in short order forprogress reports, which signals to you and your PR team to getgoing on a second perception monitoring session with membersof your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the samequestions used in the first benchmark session. Big difference thistime is that you will be on red alert for signs that the bad newsperception is being altered in your direction.

Incidentally, I’ve always thought it fortunate that such mattersusually can be accelerated simply by adding more communicationstactics as well as increasing their frequencies.

So, at the end of the day, what you want the new PR plan toaccomplish is to persuade your most important outsidestakeholders to your way of thinking, then move them tobehave in a way that leads to the success of your department,division or subsidiary.

Public relations should no longer be a mystery when the peopleyou deal with do, in fact, behave suspiciously like everyoneelse – they act upon their perceptions of the facts they hearabout you and your operation. Which means you really havelittle choice but to deal promptly and effectively with thoseperceptions by doing what is necessary to reach and movethose key external audiences of yours to actions you desire.

About the Author: 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 communi-cations, 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. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com

Source: www.isnare.com
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On Valentine’s Day, or any romantic interlude, lovers should woo their sweethearts with chocolates and roses — but also a Leadership Talk.

My experience in teaching the Leadership Talk to thousands of leaders worldwide for the past 21 years confirms that the Talk is a boon for leaders of all ranks and functions in their jobs and careers.

But I’ve also learned, to my surprise, that many leaders are employing the Leadership Talk effectively outside their jobs in their personal relationships.

Giving Leadership Talks helps leaders get a lot more results in organizations. Leaders see how much more effective as motivational tools Leadership Talks are than speeches and presentations.

Speeches and presentations communicate information. But Leadership Talks have you establish a deep, human, emotional connection with your audience.

That human connection is important in getting great results in your job; but it is also important in getting great results in your personal life — even your love life.

If you want to win or sustain the fondness of a loved one, a Leadership Talk may just make it happen.

Mixing leadership and love may seem like mixing apples and oranges. But great leadership and love share common elements. For one thing, when you are wooing your lover, you may be taking the lead. And for another, using a Leadership Talk, you’re fostering a deep, heartfelt relationship — as great leadership often does.

Here are a few pointers on giving a Leadership Talk that you can put into effect this Valentine’s Day or any other interlude for love.

Before you speak, simply ask three questions: Do you know the needs of your lover? Can you bring deep belief to the relationship? And can you have your lover take action? If you say ‘no’ to any one of those questions, you can’t give a Leadership Talk.

The questions apply to lovers as well. To foster a deep, human emotional relationship, you must know what your sweetheart needs, the deep belief you bring to the relationship, and finally, the action you want your sweetheart to take.

However, the questions are not meant to be stumbling blocks to your Leadership Talk but stepping stones. If you answer ‘no’, step back and assess your situation. Think through what you might say so that you can ‘yes’ to each question. Then speak. Give a Leadership Talk. And, by the way, don’t forget the chocolates and roses.

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2005 © The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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About the Author: The author of 23 books, Brent Filson’s recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He is founder and president of The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. – and for more than 20 years has been helping leaders of top companies worldwide get audacious results. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get a free white paper: “49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results,” at www.actionleadership.com

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As a business, non-profit or association manager, whatdo you want?

Publicity that delivers newspaper and talk show mentions,or behavior change among your key outside audiencesthat leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives?

Special events that attract a lot of people, or public relationsthat persuades your most important outside audiences toyour way of thinking, then moves them to take actions thathelp your department, division or subsidiary succeed?

Zippy brochures and videos, or a way for you to dosomething positive about the behaviors of those externalaudiences of yours that MOST affect your organization?

As a manager, what I believe you need to know about PRare two realities:

1) The right PR really CAN alter individual perception andlead to changed behaviors that help you succeed, and 2),your public relations effort must involve more than specialevents, brochures and news releases if you really want toget your money’s worth,

The underlying truth about PR goes this way: people acton their own perception of the facts before them, which leadsto predictable behaviors about which something can be done.When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching,persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very peoplewhose behaviors affect the organization the most, the publicrelations mission is accomplished.

And it can generate results like; prospects starting to workwith you; customers making repeat purchases; strongerrelationships with the educational, labor, financial andhealthcare communities; improved relations withgovernment agencies and legislative bodies, and evencapital givers or specifying sources looking your way

Once the program gets rolling, you also should see resultssuch as new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures;rebounds in showroom visits; membership applications on the rise;community service and sponsorship opportunities; enhancedactivist group relations, and expanded feedback channels,not to mention new thoughtleader and special event contacts.

That’s a lot of results from even a high-impact blueprint.

It almost goes without saying that your PR crew – agencyor staff – must be committed to you, as the senior projectmanager, to the PR blueprint and its implementation,starting with target audience perception monitoring.

Is it crucially important that your most important outsideaudiences really perceive your operations, products orservices in a positive light? Of course, so assure yourselfthat your PR staff has bought into the whole effort. Beespecially careful that they accept the reality that perceptionsalmost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt yourunit.

Sit down with your PR team and review the PR blueprintin detail, especially the plan for monitoring and gatheringperceptions by questioning members of your mostimportant outside audiences. Questions like these: howmuch do you know about our organization? How muchdo you know about our services or products andemployees? Have you had prior contact with us andwere you pleased with the interchange? Have youexperienced problems with our people or procedures?

Professional survey people obviously can handle theperception monitoring phases of your program, IF thebudget is available. But always remember that your PRpeople are also in the perception and behaviorbusiness and can pursue the same objective: identifyuntruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors,inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negativeperception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

What about your public relations goal? You need a goalstatement that speaks to the aberrations that showed upduring your key audience perception monitoring. Andit could call for straightening out that dangerousmisconception, or correcting that gross inaccuracy, ordoing something about that damaging rumor.

When you set a goal, you need a strategy that shows youhow to get there. You have three strategic choices whenit comes to handling a perception or opinion challenge:create perception where there may be none, change theperception, or reinforce it. A bad strategy pick will tastelike marinara sauce on your brownies, so be certain thenew strategy fits well with your new public relations goal.For example, you don’t want to select “change” when thefacts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Because persuading an audience to your way of thinkingis awfully hard work, your PR team must come up withjust the right, corrective language. Words that arecompelling, persuasive and believable AND clear andfactual. You must do this if you are to correct a perceptionby shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading tothe desired behaviors.

Sit down again with your communications specialists andreview your message for impact and persuasiveness. Then,select the communications tactics most likely to carry yourwords to the attention of your target audience.

You can pickfrom dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours,emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews,newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be surethat the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just likeyour audience members.

You’ve heard the old bromide about the credibility of amessage depending on its delivery method. On the chanceit’s true, you might think about introducing it to smallergatherings rather than using higher-profile tactics suchas news releases or talk show appearances.

The need to produce a progress report will sound thealert for you and your PR folks to return to the field for asecond perception monitoring session with members ofyour external audience. Using many of the same questionsused in the first benchmark session, you’ll now be watchingvery carefully for signs that the bad news perception isbeing altered in your direction.

If impatience enters the fray, you can always accelerate thingswith more communications tactics and increased frequencies.

Finally, like a military unit, your public relations effort canuse an action-oriented motto: the right PR really CAN alterindividual perception and lead directly to changed behaviorsthat help you succeed.

About the Author: 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 communi-cations, 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. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=650&ca=Business

Are you a business, non-profit or association managerwho pretty much ignores your organization’s importantoutside audiences?

If that’s you, do you realize how difficult you’re makingit to achieve the important behavior changes you reallyneed and want? I mean changes that lead directly toachieving your department, division or subsidiary’sobjectives?

I’m talking about achieving new levels of membershipapplications; growing the repeat purchase rate; capitalgivers looking your way; attracting new prospects;expanding the list of organizations officially specifyingyour service and products; or suppliers newly motivatedto meet your strict quality and delivery requirements.

Start operating in your own best interest by taking acloser look at the public relations work underway onbehalf of your unit.

Is it focused more on communications tactics than upona workable, comprehensive plan for dealing with thosekey external audience behaviors that impact youroperation the most?

What may be needed is a refocus on the fundamentalpremise of public relations: People act on their ownperception of the facts before them, which leads topredictable behaviors about which something can bedone. When we create, change or reinforce that opinionby reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-actionthe very people whose behaviors affect the organizationthe most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

When you meet with the PR people assigned to your unit,be clear about the need to list and prioritize those keyexternal audiences, and then monitor how your unit isperceived by members of those audiences. That meansinteracting with those folks and asking lots of questions.Now, and only now, can you mount an effort to alterthose perceptions, and thus behaviors, in your direction.

You need to evaluate the data gathered during the perceptionmonitoring session. Is there a glaring inaccuracy about yourorganization mentioned by several members of that audience?Any false assumptions come bubbling up about your products,services or management? Are misconceptions, rumors ordistinctly negative attitudes obvious during your monitoringinterviews?

From these data, you frame your public relations goal. Forexample, spike that rumor, correct that inaccuracy, clarifythat misconception or “we’d better do a better job ofcommunicating our service benefits.”

Every good PR goal needs an equally good strategyshowing you how to achieve your goal. But when it comesto matters of opinion and perception, there are only threechoices available to you: reinforce existing perception/opinion, create perception where there is none, or changeexisting perception. Just be certain your choice of strategiesis a natural fit for your new PR goal.

Your public relations people should be especially usefulto you for the next step, writing a message positioned toalter perception among members of the target audience.You should, however, be closely involved in putting themessage together. It must be not only persuasive, butcompelling as well. And it must be very clear as to whythe offending perception is simply wrong, or unfair,including the language needed to correct, clarify or changeit.

I’m certain you will agree that, as you make the case foryour point of view, you must be believable.

No easy task to alter what people have come to believe,but certainly worth the effort.

Your public relations people will help you deliver yourmessage to the attention of members of your key targetaudience. They will identify the communications tacticsto help you do the job. As they will tell you, you have abroad choice of tactics such as newsletters, radio andnewspaper interviews, newsworthy special events,brochures, speeches and scores of others. The only caveathere, check carefully that your chosen tactics have a recordof reaching people like those who make up your targetaudience.

In short order, all concerned will wonder aloud whetherprogress is being made toward the public relations goal.Obviously, to satisfy yourself that offending perceptionsare actually being altered, leading to the behavior changeyou desire, you must remonitor the perceptions ofmembers of your target audience.

The difference this time is, you will be watching carefullyfor clear indications that perceptions are, in fact, beingaltered.

Now, if you’re not pleased with the rate of progress, add afew more communications tactics, as well as using themmore frequently, to increase the impact.

So, as a manager, you’ve pretty much ignored those importantoutside audiences until now. But, hopefully, these commentshave convinced you to ramp up your unit’s public relationseffort and pursue the behavior changes you really need andwant, and that lead directly to achieving your department,division or subsidiary’s objectives.

About the Author: 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 communi-cations, 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. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=649&ca=Business

For business, non-profit and association managers, is itpublicity that delivers newspaper and talk show mentionsbacked up by colorful brochures and videos, combinedwith special events that attract a lot of people?

Or could your business, non-profit or association PR dollarbe better spent on public relations activity that createsbehavior change among your key outside audiences thatleads directly to achieving your managerial objectives? Anddoes so by persuading your most important outsideaudiences to your way of thinking, then moves them to takeactions that help your department, division or subsidiarysucceed?

What we’re talking about is the kind of PR that lets youdo something positive about the behaviors of those externalstakeholders of yours that MOST affect your organization.Which means the right PR really CAN alter individualperception and lead to changed behaviors that help youwin.

Here’s a recipe for you: people act on their own perceptionof the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviorsabout which something can be done. When we create, changeor reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect theorganization the most, the public relations mission isaccomplished.

And it can generate results like increased membershipapplications; prospects starting to work with you; customersmaking repeat purchases; capital givers or specifying sourceslooking your way; stronger relationships with the educational,labor, financial and healthcare communities; and evenimproved relations with government agencies and legislativebodies,

Once the program gets rolling, you also should see resultssuch as new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures;rebounds in showroom visits; community service andsponsorship opportunities; enhanced activist group relations,and expanded feedback channels, not to mention newthoughtleader and special event contacts.

To garner such results your PR crew – agency or staff – mustbe committed to you, as the senior project manager, to the PRblueprint and its implementation, starting with target audienceperception monitoring.

As you know, its extremely important that your key outsideaudiences see your operations, products or services in the mostpositive light. So make certain that your PR staff has boughtinto the whole effort. For example, do they accept the realitythat perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can helpor hurt your unit?

Review the PR blueprint with your PR team, especially theplan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioningmembers of your most important outside audiences. Questionslike these: how much do you know about our organization?How much do you know about our services or products andemployees? Have you had prior contact with us and were youpleased with the interchange? Have you experienced problemswith our people or procedures?

IF the budget is available, survey firms obviously can handle theperception monitoring phases of your program. But rememberthat your PR people are also in the perception and behaviorbusiness and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths,false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies,misconceptions and any other negative perception that mighttranslate into hurtful behaviors.

But what about your public relations goal? You need a goalstatement that speaks to the aberrations that showed upduring your key audience perception monitoring. And itcould call for straightening out that dangerous misconception,or correcting that gross inaccuracy, or doing something aboutthat damaging rumor.

PR 101 says when you set a goal, you need a strategy thatshows you how to get there. Here, you have three strategicchoices when it comes to handling a perception or opinionchallenge: create perception where there may be none, changethe perception, or reinforce it. A bad strategy pick will tastelike lime zest on your veal chops, so be certain the newstrategy fits well with your new public relations goal. Forexample, you don’t want to select “change” when thefacts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Your PR team has their work cut out for them because nowthey must come up with just the right, corrective languagethat will persuade an audience to your way of thinking. Wordsthat are compelling, persuasive and believable AND clear andfactual.

You have little choice if you are to correct a perceptionby shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading tothe desired behaviors.

Message impact is also key in such a message, so sit downagain with your communications specialists and review yourmessage for that quality as well.. Then, select the communicationstactics most likely to carry your words to the attention of yourtarget audience. You can pick from dozens that are available.From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumerbriefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings andmany others. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known toreach folks just like your audience members.

The credibility of a message can depend on its delivery method.So, think about introducing it to smaller gatherings rather thanusing higher-profile tactics such as news releases or talk showappearances.

Calls for progress reports will send you and your PR folks backto the field for a second perception monitoring session withmembers of your external audience. Using many of the samequestions used in the first benchmark session, you’ll now bewatching very carefully for signs that the bad news perceptionis being altered in your direction.

If colleagues (or bosses) seem impatient for results, you can always accelerate things with more communications tactics and increased frequencies.

Folks act on their perceptions of the facts they hear about youand your operation. Which means you have next to no choicebut to deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions bydoing what is necessary to reach and move those key externalaudiences of yours to actions you desire.

About the Author: 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 communi-cations, 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. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=648&ca=Business

The Cash to Cash Cycle
Final of Series

Part One: http://www.bizmanualz.com/articles/01-05-05_inventory_procedures.html?src=ART78

Part Two: http://www.bizmanualz.com/articles/01-11-05_accounts_receivable.html?src=ART79

Part Three: http://www.bizmanualz.com/articles/01-18-05_Sales_Marketing.html?src=ART80

Part Four: http://www.bizmanualz.com/articles/01-25-05_Accounts_Payable.html?src=ART82

In the past four weeks, we’ve brought to light four key areas in which you can save $250,000 each — for a total of $1,000,000. Point by point, we’ve shown you just how cash flows through these areas, making up the Cash to Cash Cycle.

And as we’ve seen, the cash cycle is undoubtedly the single most important process to optimize for any business – from when you spend money to when you get money.

So now let’s put it all together.

Cash to Cash Cycle Definition

By definition, the cash to cash cycle is a financial ratio that shows the length time for which a company must finance its own inventory. It measures the number of days between the initial cash outflow (when the company pays its suppliers) to the subsequent cash inflow (Accounts Receivables).

Cash Conversion Cycle and Cash Flows

One way to express this is the length of time between the purchase of Inventory (raw materials, etc) and the collection of accounts Receivable created from the sale of your product — also called the cash conversion cycle.

Why is this most important? Because this is your cash flow and because…

Operations Assessment and Working Capital

Businesses live and die by the cash generated from operations. If your operations don’t create cash, then they consume it. A cash-consuming operation means that you have negative cash flow and you are living on financing (debt or equity). But the Cash to Cash Cycle also shows you the amount of working capital you have committed to your organization.

Just add the number of days of inventory to the number of days of receivables outstanding, and then subtract the number of days of payables outstanding. The result is the number of days of working capital your organization has tied up in managing your supply chain. This can be quite a significant number - one not to overlook.

This can also be expressed by the formula: stock days plus debtor days minus creditor days equals the cash-to-cash cycle.

So, for example, a company that keeps its stock for on average 30 days, gets paid by its debtors on average within 30 days and pays its creditors on average within 30 days will have a cash-to-cash cycle of 30 days.

Companies that receive cash from their customers at the point of sale and that have their inventory under good control will have a short cash-to-cash cycle. A company could even have either a negative cycle or a cycle time of zero. For example, if a business’ receivables and payables are held in check at 30 days while inventory runs at Just-In-Time (JIT) levels, then the cash cycle is zero – meaning that this company is in good shape with no working capital needs.

And, of course, when receivable days are less than payables with JIT inventory, then the company will enjoy a positive cash-to-cash cycle – creating more cash on hand.

On the other hand, however, if a company puts payables down to 15 days and allows receivables to grow to 45 days, while inventory remains at steady levels, the cash cycle will be high. And. here, working capital will be constrained to compensate for inefficiencies.

Processes and Procedures Investments and Inefficiencies

Did you realize that working capital is the investment you are making in the inefficiencies of your processes and procedures plus your investment in your suppliers’ and your customers’ inefficiencies too? In other words, if you do not monitor inventory, accounts receivable, sales and marketing and accounts payable to ensure a healthy cash-to-cash cycle, then your working capital needs will not maintain a strong cash flow. The process will be out of control, and will not be optimized to create the greatest amount of effectiveness for the company.

Policies and Procedures Savings

So now you can see the relationship between your cash flow, your working capital and your cash to cash cycle. In order to increase your cash flow, you need to increase the velocity of your cash to cash cycle by reducing the inefficiencies found in your processes, your suppliers’ processes and your customers’ processes. The result is a decrease in your working capital and an increase in your cash. And, as we’ve seen, this can be a significant number – again, one that you shouldn’t overlook.

About the Author: Chris Anderson is currently the managing director of Bizmanualz, Inc. and co-author of policies and procedures manuals, producing the layout, process design and implementation to increase performance. To learn how to increase your business performance, visit: http://www.bizmanualz.com?src=ART82

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Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=647&ca=Business+Management

Landlord - Tenant Common Sense

When choosing the perfect roommate, whether you are the tenant or the landlord, a little common sense and due diligence should be a pre-requisite before making your decision. Several factors come into play for both the landlord and the tenant.

As a landlord, you are bringing a relative stranger into your household who could prove to be the perfect way to offset your costs, or turn into an additional expense for you to bear. First of all, you will want to judge the prospective tenant’s fiscal responsibility. The information to do this can be gathered by requesting a consumer report (credit report) on this individual. To do this you will need to have a signed authorization from this individual and contact any number of consumer reporting agencies. To supplement the consumer report the data you will obtain from the report, it is a good idea to also contact your prospective tenant’s previous landlords for references and rental history. They will give you a good idea as to exactly what kind of person this is and what behavior that you might expect from them. Your next step will be to check the individual’s criminal record. “You certainly would not want to introduce a thief into your household. You can accomplish this by contacting either the county’s court clerk in which they lived and possibly surrounding metropolitan county courts or contact a background investigative company to perform this for you.” says Charles Slagle, Chief Investigator for NCRS, Inc. Finally it would be wise to verify their employment. Ensure that they give you a main number to business so that you can verify that it is a business you have reached and not just one of their friends that they may have posing as their supervisor for them. It also does not hurt to verify the number through your local yellow pages or information.

I have found personal references to be of little or no use since a prospective tenant will rarely give personal reference that would be negative. These things and a bit of common sense should help produce a fruitful tenant for you.

When you are the tenant looking for a roommate/landlord the criteria changes slightly, but the basic concepts remain the same. “You want to ensure that you are partnering with a creditworthy landlord who is as fiscally responsible as they desire for you to be,” said Mr. Slagle. Financial ability is as important to them as it should be to you. You will need to make certain that the roommate/landlord has the ability financially to keep the roof over your head and to maintain the utilities. Regardless if you are able to pay your portion of the bills and rent, the responsibility falls on the roommate/landlord to complete the payment. Your next concern is the possibility of a criminal record on the part of the landlord. Todd Lamb, President of Trinity Research added, “For safety’s sake you would not want a landlord that has been convicted of an assault or a sexual crime.” You can investigate their background in the same manner as the landlord would check on yours or you may want to utilize one of many websites that offer to do this for you. Criminalbackground.com is our site of choice for their economical and easy to use site. Also, whenever I have a question a staff member is always around to help by phone or email.” Said Sheryl Pennington, Property Manager for Carlton Court in Dallas, Texas.

So, regardless if you are the tenant or the landlord looking for a roommate, taking some time to research the prospect can yield a more productive roommate relationship.

About the Author: Since 1989 dan the roommate man has helped 1000’s of people find good roommates. www.roommateexpress.com

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Move Key Audiences to Actions You Want

How?

Try a blueprint like this: people act on their own perceptionof the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviorsabout which something can be done. When we create, changeor reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading andmoving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviorsaffect the organization the most, the public relationsmission is accomplished.

It seems worth the effort when you get results like freshproposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures;prospects starting to do business with you; welcomebounces in show room visits; membership applicationson the rise; customers starting to make repeat purchases;community leaders beginning to seek you out; capitalgivers or specifying sources beginning to look your way,and even politicians and legislators starting to view youas a key member of the business, non-profit or associationcommunities.

But winning business, non-profit and association managersdon’t pull it off by themselves. First, they find out whoamong their important outside audiences is behaving inways that help or hinder the achievement of their objectives.Then they list them according to how severely theirbehaviors affect their organization.

Next they take steps to learn exactly how most membersof their key outside audience think about their organization.And by the way, they make certain their entire PR teambuys into the crucial importance of knowing for sure howtheir outside audiences perceive their operations, productsor services. And they dig deep to ensure they REALLY acceptthe reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviorsthat can damage your operation.

When it’s time to activate the PR blueprint, monitor andgather perceptions by questioning members of your mostimportant outside audience. Ask questions like these: howmuch do you know about our organization? Have you hadprior contact with us and were you pleased with theinterchange? How much do you know about our servicesor products and employees? Have you experienced problemswith our people or procedures?

Not so incidentally, your PR folks are already in theperception and behavior business, so they can be of realuse for this opinion monitoring project. Professional surveyfirms can be brought in to handle the opinion monitoringchore, but that can be a costly undertaking. But whether it’syour people or a survey firm who asks the questions, yourobjective is to identify untruths, false assumptions,unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, and misconceptions .

Here, ask yourself which of the above aberations is seriousenough to become your corrective public relations goal?Clarify the misconception? Spike that rumor? Correct thefalse assumption? Fix those inaccuracies? Or yet anotheroffensive perception that could lead to negative results?

Once you firmly set your public relations goal, you canassure you’ll achieve it by picking the right strategy fromthe three choices available to you. Change existingperception, create perception where there may be none, orreinforce it. Especially important that your new strategynaturally compliments your new public relations goal.

How will your message deal with the offending perceptionwhen you address your key stakeholder audience to helppersuade them to your way of thinking?

Identify your best writing talent to prepare the messagebecause s/he must put together some very special, correctivelanguage. Words that are not only compelling, persuasiveand believable, but clear and factual if they are to shiftperception/opinion towards your point of view and lead tothe behaviors you have in mind.

Now it’s time for rapid fire communications tactics to carryyour message to the attention of your target audience.

Makingcertain that the tactics you select have a record of reachingfolks like your audience members, you can pick from dozensthat are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails andbrochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters,personal meetings and many others.

Of course, how one communicates often affects the credibilityof the message, so you may wish to deliver it in smallgetogethers like meetings and presentations rather than througha higher-profile media announcement.

It will soon be time to show signs of progress. And that willcall for a second perception monitoring session with membersof your external audience. Employing many of the samequestions used in the first benchmark session, you will nowbe watching carefully for signs that the offending perception isbeing altered in your direction.

Of course you can always accelerate the program by addingmore communications tactics as well as increasing theirfrequencies.

At day’s end, the managers to whom this is addressed alsoknow this essential truth: they need an aggressive blueprintsuch as this one that will deliver behavior change among theirmost important outside audiences leading directly to achievingtheir managerial objectives.

About the Author: 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 communi-cations, 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. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=643&ca=Business+Management