YOUR CHECKLIST FOR A GOOD REPUTATION, OVER TIME

It’s not just about having a good, current reputation, it’s about protecting, maintaining and enhancing that established reputation to ensure your audiences continue to understand and support your brand. It takes time to build a good reputation and just a moment to damage it - alongside your profit lines.

Consumers (even loyal ones) will change their buying habits based on your business behaviours or if they perceive dissonance in your values and ethics.

Companies with good reputations already need excellent and consistent PR in place, it’s good business practice. It’s about avoiding the crisis and effectively damage limitation and recovery should one occur.

Checklist!

1. Do you have a strong relationship with your stakeholders, teams, agencies and audiences?

2. Do they know and understand your organisational values well?

3. Do you have consistent and regular communication with them?

4. Would they support and endorse you in a crisis?

5. Do you have a strong PR communication strategy in place?

If the answer to any of these is NO or you are UNSURE, then now is the time to look at your communication and PR strategy and put your business in a stronger position to avoid any defensive reactions and promote positive responses.

PREPARE, PLAN & PROTECT

If you are a global business, it’s important to understand your critical issues. When responsible to stakeholders, you are at constant risk of numerous issues and crisis: hostile press, negative reviews, social media critics, loss of customers, dipping revenues/profits, protests and strikes, staff issues, government or trade restrictions, technical failures, product recalls, not to mention slander and anything that may bring your business into disrepute (both personal and business related).

Let’s assume these won’t all strike all at once, but if you experience a time when one or more of these risks collide, the situation can be devastating to your reputation and undo many years of successful work, affecting your reputation and profit in one foul swoop.

Critical PR is all about being prepared and being able to manage a crisis – fast and effectively.

LONG-TERM CONSULTANCY

Prevention is better than cure.

It is paramount to have a relationship in place that works to prevent any looming crisis and that can work consistently with you to build trust with your network.

Longer term strategies take a very clear view on all business operations and are mindful of any potential threats and approaching difficulties.

Any crisis or communication need can then often be addressed and more easily dissipated before they occur.