What Does the Public Relations Client REALLY Want, and Why?

It's not unusual for clients of service providers toand
insist thatthat's the job of the public relations agency and
their budget dollars be quickly applied to a varietyits
of flashyclient's corporate professionals. Fortunately, the
tactics. Yet, when pressed, many acknowledgekey to a successful effort is the fact that people
that what they
REALLY want for their money is visible,really DO act on their perception of the facts. In
end-game change.This is especially true in publicso doing, and in a cumulative way, they form the
relations where clients often
second-guess careful plans for achieving thatvery public opinion that those practitioners must
end-gamenow inform.So, what is their strategy? In short,
change by insisting on premature use of tacticsto reach those
like newsperceptions with the facts as they know them.
releases, talk-show appearances and sportsHopefully, the messages they use will be clear
sponsorships.But obviously, flashy tactics alone willand
not satisfy thosepersuasive, and will change negative or inaccurate
clients once they start looking for a return on
their publicperceptions, then alter behaviors in the client
relations investment. Because it is then that itcompany's direction.Using the three examples
becomes clear,above, when the activists
sometimes painfully, that their goal MUST be thebecome satisfied with explanations of the
kind of change in the behaviors of keycompany's
stakeholders thatnew, public commitment to correct their emission
lead directly to achieving their business
objectives. Thus,problems, the protesters can be expected to
it is quality planning, and the degree of behavioralleave the plant
changegates.Editorial board meetings with local
it produces, that eventually captures clientnewspapers and
attention,television stations will begin to bear fruit with
not tactics.These days, with public relationsmore
budgets always in mortalbalanced reportage of the company's efforts to
danger, tactical chats between a client CEO andmeet
publicemission standards which, in turn, will reduce
relations counsel probably sound like this: "Donegative
somethingpublic opinion.And, while the agency's briefing
about those activists chaining themselves to oursessions with town
plant gatecouncil staff will do little to hasten a formal vote,
and yelling that our emissions go into the river.a targeted
It's costingcommunications effort is likely to lead to a
us big money each day that plant is shutcommunity
down."Or, "How are we going to calm down thoseopinion poll showing positive movement in public,
Garden Clubthen
members down in the lobby waving aroundofficial sentiment about the new highway
thoseoff-ramp.In the end, a sound public relations
cockamamie newspaper reports and talking tostrategy combined
the TVwith effective tactics leads directly to the
cameras about the additives we use? Where'dbottom line -
that reporterperceptions altered; behaviors modified; client
get those numbers, anyway? It's costing ussatisfied.Please feel free to publish this article and
sales!"Or, "Please people, what are you doing toresource box
encourage ain your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or
favorable Town Council vote on our petition forwebsite.
that newA copy would be appreciated at .
highway off-ramp?"What's common to each ofWord count is 720 including guidelines and
those rants? The CEO is askingresource box.
his public relations people to modify somebody'sRobert A. Kelly © 2005.Bob Kelly counsels,
behavior.writes and speaks to business, non-profit and
He doesn't want to talk tactics, or evenassociation managers about using the
strategies. He wantsfundamental premise of public
those activists off his property, he wants thoserelations to achieve their operating objectives. He
print andhas been DPR,
broadcast reporters to do a fairer job ofPepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin
reporting on hisCorp.; VP-PR,
production methods (hopefully getting the GardenNewport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.;
Clubbersdirector of communi-
off his back), and he wants a real effort madecations, U.S. Department of the Interior, and
todeputy assistant press
move public opinion in a way that encouragessecretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor
local officialsof science degree
to approve that badly needed vehiclefrom Columbia University, major in public
ramp.Modify somebody's behavior, that's his goal,relations.