Today, it’s easy for any organization to fall from grace. Considering how fast information and opinions spread online, a single mistake could trigger the downfall of a company no matter how long it has existed. That alone should be the main reason to invest in effective reputation management.
If you run an organization that has built a genuine identity over the years, the least you’d want is a PR crisis that’s emotionally and financially damaging. Part of what you should do to prevent that is to set up preemptive measures and a detailed plan to guide you through a reputational crisis. With this in mind, here are a few tips to remember for preserving your company’s reputation and maintaining its legacy for years to come:
- Humanize your brand
Before developing a strategy and a concrete plan for managing your company’s reputation, start by laying down its aims. Avoid coming up with cliches such as “sowing the seeds to a brighter future” or “becoming an industry leader” and the like. Make it less about yourself and more about the people who buy your products or services. The best way to do that is to humanize your company by letting your target audience know they’re your top priority. “Transforming lives” sounds generic but it’s enough to convince people they matter.
- Empower your branding and PR team
Your branding department isn’t there to sell your name. It’s there to help you build relationships and respond to a critical reputation crisis. This team is crucial in helping you prepare for worst-case scenarios where effective crisis communications play a defining role. It can also work with other departments such as operations and customer service to develop programs that improve client satisfaction, comply with industry regulations, and identify risks. With this in mind, make sure to provide your team with the right tools and enough creative space to do its job in preventing and handling crises.
- Orient your employees
The people you employ are part of the corporate family. By that, they will carry your company’s name wherever they go. You can only imagine the impact that a drunk worker could make the moment they crash a company-issued vehicle into a department store. Even worse is when someone associated with your brand is accused of indecent behavior by a sexual harassment attorney hired by a fellow employee.
Preventing these scenarios would mean training employees to use company property and practice high levels of professionalism properly. You may not live their lives, but it’s important to remind them that whatever shameful they do could drag the organization out in the open.
- Listen to the audience
Reputation management isn’t just about sweetening your brand image and making others like your products or services. It’s more about delivering on your promises to your audience and building your brand around their needs. Effective reputation management relies heavily on public perception. To do that would mean conducting surveys, listening to social media interactions with your brand, and taking brand reviews seriously. All of this will provide you with the insights you need to strengthen your brand’s image.
Endnote
For your company to succeed and thrive for decades, invest in reputation management. It costs time and money, but nothing could produce better returns than a brand that people trust.
