Now and then, brands become victims of negative PR even when they try to avoid it. To worsen the situation, bad news flies fast in this digital age, and so, it’s crucial to quickly and effectively handle these incidences. Negative PR affects the public’s view of a company and can destroy its image.
So, what can be done if you are at the receiving end of negative PR?
Here are three tips that can help:
Before responding to the news, it is vital to reach out to your PR team to discuss the situation. Your PR team is trained to handle sensitive issues like these and so, and they will advise you accordingly. Work with them to decide the best line of response to the situation. Avoid the temptation to react emotionally to the situation as it could make matters worse.
Once there’s a clear understanding of what happened and how it happened, come out to the public in sincerity. If it is true, admit it and discuss the company’s steps to rectify the situation. If it is not true, address the issue and explain your side of the event clearly. You can also apologize for the inconvenience caused to the public and talk about lessons learnt from the situation.
Portraying the brand in a positive light will help to restore the brand’s image. This recreation of the brand’s former positive image can suppress the negative information that was previously released. You can start by creatively highlighting your brand’s unique selling proposition and driving traffic through blogs or media campaigns. This will help win as many clients to the side of your brand as possible. Another method is to get customers to become brand ambassadors on social media by communicating consistently with them and winning their loyalty.
If handled properly, negative PR can help increase your brand’s visibility and win more loyal customers, thus turning bad publicity into an advertising strategy!
