Source Credibility

A message is more believable to an audience if the source has credibility. That is why writers try to attribute information and quotes to perceived experts; it makes the material more persuasive.

Indeed, expertise is a key element in credibility. The other two elements are sincer­ity and charisma. Ideally, a source will have all three attributes.

Depending on the message and the audience, various spokespersons can be used and quoted for source credibility. For example, if you are writing a news release about a new product for a trade magazine, perhaps the best source to quote would be the director of research and development for the company. This person is a credible source primarily because of personal knowledge and expertise. If the news release is about the fourth-quarter earnings of the company, the most credible person to quote in the news release would be either the chief executive officer or the vice president for finance, both experts by virtue of their position.

Source credibility also can be hired.

Additional credibility is gained if the spokesperson comes across as being sincere about the message.

Sincerity is an important component in celebrity endorsements. Sincerity and cha­risma are the key elements of using celebrities to provide source credibility.

Celebrities are used primarily to call attention to a product, service or idea. The sponsor's intent is to associate the person's popularity with the product. This is called transfer.

The use of various sources for credibility depends in large part on the type of audience being reached. That is why audience analysis is the first step in formulating effective public relations messages.

Appeal to Self-interest

A public relations writer must at all times be aware of what the audience wants to know.

Writing publicity for a new food product can serve as an example. A news release to the trade press serving the food industry (grocery stores, suppliers, wholesalers, distributors) might focus on how the product was developed, distributed, and made available to the public, the manufacturer's pricing policies, or the results of marketing studies that show that consumers want the product. This audience is interested in the technical aspects of distribution, pricing, and market niche.

You would prepare quite a different news release or feature article for the food section of a daily newspaper. The consumer wants information about the food prod­uct's nutritional value, convenience, and cost and wants to know why the item is supe­rior to similar products. The reader is also looking for menu ideas and recipes using the product.

Clarity of the Message

The objective in all communication should be not to create understanding but to prevent misunderstanding.

There are several things you can do to avoid this problem. First, you should work on your writing style. Second, you should use a thesaurus regularly. Many words have numerous synonyms, but each of these has a slightly different effect on the receiver. For example, "youthful" is a favorable word, but "juvenile" has negative connotations. Third, you should test your writing before you inflict it on the public. If at all possible, try it out on members of the target audience.