Here, a powerful corrective message to be aimed at members of your target audience is the order of the day. Persuading an audience to your way of thinking is not easy. Those PR folks of yours must come up with words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual. Only in this way will you be able to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the behaviors you are targeting.

Let your people regularly reevaluate the message to decide if it is up to snuff and really persuasive. Then select the communications tactics most likely to carry that message to the attention of your target audience. There are scores of available tactics. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that those you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

Because the credibility of the message itself can actually depend on the perception of its delivery method, you may decide to kick off the corrective message by unveiling the message before smaller gatherings rather than using higher-profile tactics such as news releases.

A followup perception monitoring session with members of your external audience is advisable. PR people should plan another visit to the field where you can gather comparative data for use in producing progress reports. You’ll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. Only this time, you will be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

There will be periods in which momentum slows, so be prepared to accelerate matters with more communications tactics and increased frequencies.

At this juncture, you’ve progressed beyond tactics like special events, brochures, broadcast plugs and press releases to achieve the very best public relations has to offer.

And it’s REALLY interesting when you pull off this PR hat trick – combining a sound public relations strategy with effective communications tactics leading directly to the bottom line – perception altered, behavior modified, employer/client satisfied.

Please feel free to publish this article in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. Only requirement: you must use the Robert A. Kelly byline and resource box. Word count is 1195 including guidelines and box. Robert A. Kelly © 2006.

Bob Kelly counsels and writes for business, non-profit, public entity and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has authored 250 articles on the subject which are listed at EzineArticles.com, click Expert Author, click Robert A. Kelly. 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. et'; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text79840 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //--> Visit:http://www.PRCommentary.com