Tactics (Week 9)

If public relations tactics like special events, brochures, broadcast plugs and press releases dominate the consumers or organizations answer, I guessed most of them might be missing the best of what Public Relations has to offer, through tactics.

I think the key points to remember from this week's readings were that, it may be through some form of media relations, or a speaking engagement, but each message needs at least one vehicle to be carried to the intended audience. It makes me ponder what are the best “vehicles” for your message? How can PR practitioners get the word out in the most cost-efficient way? When looking at the different options of choosing tactics, they should consider the fact that research shows that a target audience needs to hear the message about five times until they understand it and take action. Therefore, the more times PR practitioners or firms can reach your target audience, the better it is.

The readings made me think more about public relations theory and practice in that it takes more than good intentions for PR firms or practitioners to alter individual, key-audience perception leading to changed behaviors. It takes a carefully structured plan dedicated to getting every member of the PR team working towards the same external audience behaviors insuring that the organization’s public relations effort and tactics used stayed sharply focused.

I guessed when PR practitioners or firms are thinking of tactics selection or the methods of delivery to audience, they should try to remember that their PR effort must require more than special events, news releases and talk show tactics if they are to receive the quality public relations results they deserve. PR professionals and organizations will need the communications tactics certain to carry their message to the attention of their target audience. There are many available from speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. However, they should be certain that the tactics they pick are known to reach folks just like their audience members.

Linking to what we have read and blog of Chapter 7, it reflected that PR planning is a vital tool while PR practitioners are brainstorming of the tactics selection where public could sense the awareness of the messages and felt appealing to them. PR practitioners and firms indeed have to do a lot of research before catering strategies to the target audiences, with creative tactics at the right budget.