When Triggering Events Abound
by Dick Dyer, APR

In practicing behavioral public relations we are taught to look for events which can cause an audience to move toward a desired behavior. These “triggering events” don’t necessarily take an audience directly to the desired behavior, but they are designed to move them in the right path at least.

Triggering events are constructed by you, can occur naturally or randomly or are constructed by a competitor.

Constructed triggering events include: special sales, conferences aimed at attracting your desired audience, special events like the Trek Across Maine or the Maine Special Olympics. Triggering events can be constructed by a competitor or even by someone as extreme as a terrorist.

Naturally occurring triggering events abound with opportunities and can appear randomly. They are not constructed by you and are not controlled. Weather related events like fires, hurricanes and tornadoes come to mind.

The recent tragedies in Washington and New York, though rife with horror and sadness and grief stricken families, have triggered enormous opportunities for advocates of various causes and you have seen them seize the opportunities. From advocates for peace, to anti-terrorism, from advocates for strengthening our military capabilities to advocates for American spirit (Just look at all the flags that are appearing everywhere) countless examples have appeared. At last count one store had sold over 250,000 flags and there is now a flag order backlog. Advocates for military spending seem likely to receive support according to recent polls. By any measure, America has not been this united in at least 50 years. Even the Gulf War did not garner the support that the American people are showing in surveys after September 11.

Triggering events, especially those that are constructed, require careful consideration lest they seem/become too self-serving and garish.

I remember during the Ice Storm one store, which had electricity and could stay open, jacked up prices in response to that triggering event. Modest price increases probably could be understood, but not to the rates I heard many people complain about.

Even philanthropic gestures in response to triggering events can backfire. Recent advertisements featuring the delivery of macaroni and cheese to Kosovo refugees from a company that also happens to sell cigarettes appears to be a blatant attempt to buy back favor from American people.

Whenever your organization is going to react to a triggering event, to take advantage of obvious opportunity, it is important to ask yourselves some basic questions. Is our action going to appear appropriate or as garish as the horn of a Boston cab driver? People like quiet heroes and subtle response to events.

In other words, sell your flags, but don’t jack up the price just because you can.

Dick Dyer operates his own public relations firm in Winthrop, Maine. He enjoys hearing from readers on column ideas and/or questions they would like pursued within this column. You can reach him by email dyerapr@fairpoint.net or by phone at (207) 512-2217.