Why Crisis PR Isn’t Just for a Crisis: Three Reasons Brands Should Manage Reputation Consistently

By Maggie Zeman

The pandemic changed everything. Fair statement and one we’re all tired of hearing. But the reality is most companies are still dealing with supply chain issues, consumer backlash to price increases or negative fallout from a shift in their competitive landscape. Many are dealing with all three at the same time. Layer on a 24/7 news cycle, uncontrollable external forces (cultural wars and politics) together with always on social media, and the line between crisis communications and ongoing reputation management blurs. Brands today must consider consistent strategies that protect their reputation with consumers and other key audiences. It’s no longer enough to manage a crisis as it hits: Consider these three reasons why investing in protecting your brand is critical to your business.

Always On

A brand or company crisis is no longer one and done. Absolutely, there are times when brands need crisis PR strategies to manage product recalls, personnel issues, etc. We cover the dos and don’ts of managing a PR crisis here. The thing is, the tail of these crises is much longer now, as is the fallout. Building and maintaining positive engagement with key audiences before issues arise lessens negative impact when they inevitably do. Brands that consistently engage with their consumers, customers and employees during the good times create a community of empathetic fans who stay with brands during the tough times, often becoming their biggest defenders, giving brands the benefit of the doubt via social media engagement and product reviews.

Fast Recovery for a Competitive Edge

Always on also means that consistent communications teams are more likely to be ready to engage with stakeholders. The bench of company spokespeople is deep and ready to respond quickly and messaging for communicating with key audiences is in place expediting outreach across all platforms. Leveraging responses fast through owned thought leadership content, corporate and brand communications and social media management gives the company back control and contributes to faster recovery.

Collaborative Culture

When investment in brand transparency and authenticity are a priority with top management, the entire company falls in line. Top-down support enables teams to work together to build strategies across the organization that tout core values and promote positive brand relationships and engagement. When that work is done upfront and is entrenched in the culture of the company, teams are more collaborative when it comes to planning, defending and then maintaining their company’s reputation with all audiences they touch.

So where do you begin? At the very least, brands need to start with their business’s digital presence establishing a strategy for online reputation management (ORM). Forbes recently published an article suggesting an “effective ORM strategy includes various elements, each playing a crucial role in maintaining a positive online reputation. From monitoring online presence to proactive reputation building and crisis management, these elements work together to ensure that your brand’s online reputation remains untarnished.”

This, however, is only one aspect of successful company and brand reputation management. At Double Forte, our executive team brings deep expertise in creating strategies that help businesses protect their brand and company reputations through ongoing, proactive communication strategies. Let us know how we can help you.