“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently” – Warren Buffett
Why is brand reputation so important? Most people nowadays will search your brand’s name next to the word ‘reviews’ before they call your business or submit an enquiry online. Social media and digital communication have undoubtably brought many opportunities to marketing and brand representation but equally, as many challenges, making the process of protecting your brand‘s image a lot more complex.
While social media has enabled companies to reach extended and more targeted audiences, also it has made them more exposed and vulnerable to instant feedback - positive and negative.
We are experiencing the fastest speed of communication in history; stories, both true and false, spread rapidly and fragment almost as soon as an incident takes place.
Crisis communications is now an integral part of any event landscape, yet should something unexpected occur, many venues and organisers still have no crisis plan in place. A survey by Social Media Marketing University found more than half of brands fail to have suitable strategies in place to manage social media complaints.
Being prepared for something to go wrong is essential for any business in today’s unpredictable world, and these two “Rs” – Resilience and Reputation – are essential skills for venue directors to build when the goal is to protect your brand’s reputation in an efficient and sustainable manner.
When tech giant, Apple, was in the middle of a media storm with the FBI over privacy and security, CEO Tom Cook took control by reaching out directly to customers through an honest letter. His authenticity created a more positive narrative surrounding the controversy; the proactive nature of managing the crisis lessened the harmful nature of the claims and restored some level of trust.
Your first actions should be scenario planning, idea generation and listing the potential for things to go wrong. Using professional expertise to help facilitate this process can be very valuable as it provides you with an objective insight and avoid you overlooking potential detrimental scenarios. In this process, your business’s strengths and weaknesses will be revealed, allowing you to think about what resource you may need to allocate when things go wrong.
Ultimately, management is key because maintaining a positive image is a lot easier than restoring a damaged one, regardless of how strong your crisis communications strategy is. Establishing trust, remaining transparent and ensuring proactivity are all clear winners in protecting brand image and ensuring the longevity of your business.
What is important to remember is that management of brand image is a long-term investment. To discover how you can manage your venue’s reputation, visit daviestanner.com
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