MCM 401 Assignment

MARKS: 16/20

SATISFACTORY ATTEMPT BUT IT COULD BE BETTER

Task:

a)     How PR managers can tackle issues relating to Public Opinion? (5)

Solution:

            An issue is any situation that threatens the integrity or reputation of a company. Public Relation is the discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding, support and influencing opinion and behavior. There have been several examples of public relations crises that were handled. At the same time, there are even more instances where companies have failed to properly manage crises situation. What can, and must be managed is the response. Each crises situation is unique and, therefore, required a tailored response. Some steps that should be executed in order to properly tackle an issue, including the necessity to create a crises plan before an issue actually occurs.

What is Issues handling / tackling

Issues tackling / handling is a professional approach to handling the issue that come up with organization and people who are often in the public eye. An issue tackling is one of the special realms of the art of Public Relations. Public Relations consultants are trained in the arts of crises management/ a “crises/issue” is a negative event. A “crises/issue” is when something bad, unwanted, or terrible happens. An issue can come from nowhere at any time; natural disasters, human error (including management itself), public opinions and industrial accidents can all cause a issues. The most serious property of issue is the element of surprise. The most dangerous thing in a issue is not knowing about it or not being prepared for it, whether it is natural, mechanical, human error, or a management problem. The natural causes are hard to control as they happen unexpectedly. For other causes, they can be faced with proper planning and sometimes, the plans are well-designed enough to suit and deal with even the natural causes.

How PR Manager can tackle issues

Following are some important steps for PR Manager to adopt to tackle an issue related to public opinion:

·         Identification or defining the issue

·         Planning and Programming

·         Taking action and Communicating

·         Evaluating the program

Basic frequently asked questions for PR Manager to define the issue statement:-

·         WHAT is the issue (Clarifying the problem)

·         WHERE is the issue (Specific location of the problem)

·         WHEN is it a issue (Time factor)

·         WHO is involved or affected? (Who is responsible)

·         HOW are they involved or affected (also defining the strategy)

·         WHY is the problem and concern to the organization and its public?

The question “HOW” also serves as a review regarding the thoroughness in answering the other five questions

In order to tackle issue PR Manager is also required to find the answer of the following four questions:-

1.      How much do public use information in the problem situation

2.      What type of information do people use?

3.      How do public use information

4.      What predicts information use?

Basic purpose of PR Manger is to find the way and to help the organization to achieve the desired objective of the organization by gathering and analysis of information on changing knowledge, opinion and behaviors of key publics and stakeholder groups. PR Manager serves as the central source of information about an organization and the official channel of communication between and organization and its public. Communicating significant information, opinions, and interpretation to keep an organization’s public and other stakeholder aware of organizational policies and actions. Public Relation will coordinate activities that affect an organization’s relationship with its public and other stakeholder groups.

How Public Relation Manager work to solve issues

·         A searching look backward

·         A wide look around

·         A deep look inside

·         A long, long, look ahead!

How to anticipate Crises (Disasters)?

Every organization is vulnerable to crises/issues. If you don’t prepare, you will incur more damage. But to be a successful as PR Manager, you need to pick up weak aspects from both inside and outside the organization. To get better at this critical skill, talk to your customer, suppliers and other partners to understand their challenges. Conduct market research and business simulation to understand competitors perspectives, gauge their likely reactions to new initiative or product, and predict potential disruptive offering. Look at fast growing rival and examine any action it takes that puzzle you. List customers you have lost recently and try to figure out WHY. Attend conferences and events in other industries or functions. All of this will give you the information you need to sense opportunities and potential issues/crises.

The Biggest Common Mistakes Companies make during Crises

·         Distancing yourself from the problem

·         Lacking quick, tangible action to remedy the situation

·         Looking insincere in front of media / Shutting out news media

·         Writing boring news release and letting things be

·         Ignoring customers questions

·         Keeping the CEO out of questions

·         Having vague Communication

·         Using untrained spokespeople

·         Let your Reputation speaks for you

·         Treat media like the enemy

How to prepare for Crises/Issues

Identification of things that can go wrong and become highly visible, assess weaknesses throughout the organization. Assign priorities based on which weakness are most urgent and most likely. Draft questions, answer and resolutions for each hidden problems scenario. Focus on the two most important tasks “what to do” and “what to say” during the first critical hours following a crises. Develop a strategy to contain and counteract, not react & respond.

How to counter issues with Strategy

7C’s of PR are effective means of strategy to counter issues

1.      C-redibility

Communication starts with belief, built by the institution on performance

2.      C-ontext

A communication program must confirm not contradict the message.

3.      C-ontent

Message should have meaning for recipients.

4.      C-larity

Message must be put in simple words

5.      C-ontinuity and Consistency

Communication is an unending process, required repetition to achieve results but with variation.

6.      C-hannels

All established channels of communication should be used.

7.      C-apability of the audience

Take into consideration the habit, reading ability, and prior knowledge.

b) Discuss those tips through which a PR Manager can influence public opinion of masses? (15)

 Solution:

            At one time, public opinion was a largely uncontrollable phenomenon that had the power to make or break a company’s reputation and potential for success. While the influence of public opinion is as strong as ever, managing public opinion has given savvy business measured control over how they are perceived by their target audience and the general public. Business and organization that understand their target audience and implement a multi-faceted public relations strategy to reach them will boost their brand reputation, referrals, and profit margin.

PR Managers can influence public opinion and should make an important contribution in helping to form an organization’s ideas about what it is, what it should do and what its publics want and expect from it.

The actions, inactions and reactions of the public towards an organization are largely dependent on their opinion of the public. Every public relations activity became either an implicit or explicit effort to influence the opinion of the public in favor of the organization. Role of PR manager is to mobilize public opinion in favor of an organization. Public opinion is like the wind, you cannot see it or touch it, but you can strongly feel or sense its impact. Just as the invisible wind can pull down tall building and mighty trees, unhealthy public opinion can forcefully tear down the walls of an organization. The impact can be highly devastating or comforting depending on its direction and force. It is double edged sword it has the potential to be disastrous yet, if managed well, public opinion can be a powerful tool working in favor of organization. This theoretical analysis aims at providing intellectual support to the standpoint that public relations started, developed and bloomed from the awareness of the supremacy of public opinion.

Basically in crises situation like an individual a public relation professional or the management tend to panic. Therefore, following the some important points to do and not to do through which PR Manager can influence public opinion. First of all a PR Manager should adopt the Do’s in such situation.

·         Collection of all facts of an issue

·         Only credible spokespeople to speak or talk

·         Be accessible to the media

·         Report issues yourself

·         Produce sufficient evidence of statements

·         Record events as issue evolve

·         Update crises communication plan periodically

Under mentioned are the Don’ts in issues which must be avoided at any cost to face them effectively and to influence public opinions.

·         Avoid “no comment” as it leads to speculation

·         Don’t debate the subject

·         Don’t try to assess blame, rather address & solve the problem at hand

·         Don’t over react & exaggerate the situation

·         Don’t deviate from corporate policy or agreed upon crises methods

·         Don’t make “off the record” statements, there is no such thing

Analysis of Crises by PR Manager

·         Who is effected by the issue

·         Who has an interest in issue

·         Who is in position to exert influence

·         Who ought to care about the issue

·         Who started the ball rolling (Historical view)

·         Who is now involved? (Contemporary view)

·         Who will get involved? (Future view)

In order to explain an issues and how to handle them following instance of Survey report for Buner Poppy Substitution Project: (Pakistan) by PNCB is appended below:-

Facts:

Buner in Lower Swat where almost 1/3^rd of total opium poppy was being cultivated. The survey was to be conducted over an area of 600 squar miles or 155,400 hectares. It was an area with poor communication & transport facilities. The people living in this area were hostile to the idea of abandoning poppy cultivation. The concerned staff was apprehensive for non-cooperation of the residents.

Objective of the Plan, to motivate inhabitants that:

This socio economic survey was in their interest and Government wanted to develop this neglected and under-developed area. The Government could launch development scheme only after gathering the required data through a survey. Moreover, the inhabitants were to be assured that the proposed development scheme would open up new avenues for jobs and bring the area at par with rest of the country.

Plan of Action Adopted by PR Manager

Once the mission was analyzed following plan of action was adopted:

Specially written article were inserted in newspaper. Radio & TV was used to run special programs in local dialects (Pushto and Gojri) especially in the region. Leaders of public opinios, including headmaster, notable religious figures apprised of the significance of the survey and motivated to lend their support.

Consequences of Action Plan

The abovementioned devised plan of action resulted in following manner:

·         Inhabitant became cooperative and were ready to help

·         They also not only provided all help but also extended hospitality

·         The earlier resistance faded and the survey went on smoothly

·         The inhabitants were satisfied that survey was in their favor and for their benefit

Process of handling crises by the PR Manager

·         Scanning / Identification of problem

·         Analysis of problem

·         Prioritization of problem

·         Formulation of  responses

·         Implementation of crises responses

·         Evaluating, Monitoring and control of result

PR Manager must aware how to deal with Opinion Leaders

·         Who are the opinion leaders (Whose opinions are listened to with respect)

·         What can they do?

·         They can be dangerous or indispensable

·         They can help or hinder

·         They have to be identified

How to deal with Reporter & Interviewers

Reporters and interviewers are generally well prepared and critical people. It is necessary that they are tackled carefully and professionally. Here are some important points to follow them effectively.

When interviewer is at your place and you are acting as Host, here the important thing is, why does the Journalist want an interview? You have to ensure that

·         You know the facts

·         Do your homework

·         Be articulate, as this shows confidence

·         Welcome journalist courteously and thanks them for coming

·         Don’t fudge issues and have few answers prepared

·         Being a host, treat them well

In case of Interviews is in the Studio and here you are the guest and adopt the following points:

·         Be sound and cool

·         Be more guarded, and don’t be provoked

·         Keep your voice slow, confident and in warm attractive style

·         You should sound as if you are enjoying the broadcast and communicating with audience.