You can SO measure return-on-investment for a public relations program!

Try this.

Accept the fact that people act on their own perceptions of the facts, and that this leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done.

When public relations creates, changes or reinforces those perceptions by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action those people whose behaviors affect the organization, the public relations effort is successful.

This means you set a clearcut behavioral goal for a key target audience when you began the program, and you achieved it.

This is pure success by any definition.

It also means you received precisely the return-on-investment you contracted to pay for at the beginning of the program and, in my view, about as much R.O.I. as you're entitled to.

So, you CAN measure return-on-investment for a public relations effort after all.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net.

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 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.

Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com; bobkelly@TNI.net