A guide to reputation management
If you own your own business, you know that reputation is absolutely everything and anything that damages it is just as serious, if not more so, than physical damage to your property.
There is a popular saying that all publicity is good publicity, but this really isn’t the case and bad publicity can swiftly destroy all the good work you have done to get your business to where it is today.
Of course, not all negative press has to be fatal but careful handling of your image in the media is incredibly important.
In this article, we will examine how the right response to news stories about your business can help you reach your business goals and give you some top reputation management tips.
Consulting with a lawyer
It might seem a bit over the top but talking to a lawyer can be one of the best ways to deal with incidents that threaten to damage your reputation.
Law firms such as Aamer Anwar Edinburgh often offer a specialist reputation management consultation service for individuals or businesses who are looking to control the flow of information about them.
These professionals are experts in the very latest privacy and data protection laws and if there is anything that can be done to remove a negative, inflammatory, or downright incorrect article they will know.
Prepare for anything
No-one wants to consider the possibility that they will be the subject of a negative news story, but having a plan in place will minimise the damage done if your are.
You should ask however is in charge of your communications, no matter if it is a single person or an entire team to keep an eye across social media for anything that could lead to negative press.
This could include a bad customer experience, the latest financial reports, or a lack of perceived corporate responsibility.
Make a list of all the situations which could damage your reputation and make a plan for each and every eventuality. You could even role play each scenario with key stakeholders so you have a more effective response plan in place.
During the planning phase you should nominate a designated spokesperson to represent the business in the media and brief them on the company stance on certain situations so thereis no delay in your response when the situation arises.
Be careful with your response
A fast response to potentially damaging incidents is important, but a rushed one can be devastating. It is essential to consult with a lawyer if you believe that there could be any legal ramifications to your response.
During that time you can issue a legal letter to the publisher and look for any information that could disprove the claims that they are making or the story they are telling.
A complaint to the media body responsible for the article or the media governing bodies may also be appropriate but, once again, only act once you have spoken to a legal professional.