Reputation is not cheap: why a reputable company should have a PR specialist
5 December 2024 15:01
ANALYSIS
Companies at different stages of their development often face problems of low sales and lack of trust from potential customers. How to solve this situation? One of the most effective ways is to use PR tools to create and maintain a positive brand image.
PR is a strategic approach to building and maintaining long-term, mutually beneficial relationships between a company and its target audience – customers, investors, media and the public. Through public relations, a brand gains a “voice” that allows it to stand out from competitors, increases recognition and helps to attract loyal fans.
The main areas of PR use include:
- reputation management and crisis management;
- communications in social networks;
- event organization;
- cooperation with the media;
- development and maintenance of brand image.
During the panel discussion “Telegram Wars in Ukraine: How to Survive Cyberbullying and Save Your Company. Business Stories and the State’s Position” organized by "Komersant Ukrainian", Yulia Chudnovets, PR Director of the EPICENTER Group, shared her thoughts on the current challenges for business in the era of rapid changes in the information space, including work in Telegram.
“We have to admit that 90% of Ukrainians use Telegram as their main messenger, and 75% receive information from social media. That is, Telegram has long been an important source of news,”
– said Yulia Chudnovets.
Why a PR professional needs to respond to problems very quickly
According to her, it doesn’t matter whether someone likes this messenger or not – we are simply forced to work with it. She emphasized that Telegram has become another tool for business that has existed for a long time and explained that it is not a new scheme, but simply new technologies for old methods. Yulia also draws attention to the considerable speed with which news spreads on Telegram.
“Earlier, when I was advising my clients, I used to say that you have two hours to react. Today, you don’t even have two minutes,”
– she added, emphasizing the importance of efficiency in the modern information space.
At the same time, according to Chudnovets, there is a certain positive aspect in the fact that it is possible to estimate the real audience of Telegram channels by the number of views, reactions and comments. In particular, Yulia shared her observations on the so-called “dark” and “white” channels on Telegram.
“In fact, there are many more ‘white’ channels that businesses can work with,”
– she said, pointing out that most large companies already have contracts with such channels.
Business should create its own rules of the game
According to the speaker, these are transparent and fair contracts, and if there is negative information, the channels are interested in maintaining stable partnerships, having long-term relationships. Yulia emphasizes that businesses should not wait for the government to develop clear rules of engagement with the media.
“We, as a business, have to create these rules ourselves, and that’s okay,”
– she said.
Yulia also recalled the times when online media were just beginning to develop and society was worried about how to control new platforms. She compared this to the present, when Telegram changed the approach to informing. Chudnovets says that we receive information quickly, briefly, and all PR services are forced to be more efficient. The speaker emphasizes that the world is really accelerating, and therefore Telegram channels are the next stage of media development.
“We have to accept it as a reality and work with it. And if we see the transparency of channel owners, it will be much easier to work,”
– summarized the PR director.
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How a PR specialist should deal with crisis situations in a company
During the discussion,Daria Suhenko, co-founder and creative director of Trembita PR, shared her experience in managing crisis situations that her team has been facing for more than 10 years in the Ukrainian communications market. According to her, the main crisis situations arise in large businesses, and often these crises are the result of a negative reaction from consumers or other stakeholders.
“The bigger the business, the more likely it is to face a crisis or a hate speech,”
– she notes.
Suhenko explained that there are two main sources of crises: natural and provoked. Natural crises arise from customer dissatisfaction, poor service, or other problems that accumulate over time. For example, one public negative review can lead to an avalanche reaction.
“Often, such crises start on social media and then move to other channels – the media, influencers, telegram channels,”
– notes the creative director.
According to Suhenko, one of the most striking examples of a crisis was the situation with the Ukrainian clothing brand Ethnodom, which in 2020 became the center of public condemnation after a photo with the president and first lady in embroidered shirts was met with not only support but also criticism from some of their customers.
“The brand did not take into account the sentiments of 25% of its customers who did not support the president, and for them any publication with him had a negative connotation,”
– explains Suhenko.
As a result, the company’s response to the negative publicity only served to exacerbate the crisis. At first, Ethnodom tried to smooth the situation by declaring its non-political nature, but this only added to the public condemnation. Suhenko says that the company itself provoked a new wave of the crisis when the situation began to unfold in telegram channels and then reached the media. This situation had not only reputational but also financial consequences: the company lost customers and failed to make money on the traditional Vyshyvanka Day campaign.
“It was a classic example of a crisis that not only affected the reputation but also caused business losses,” says Sukhonenko,
– Suhenko says.
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Daria Suhenko emphasizes that in addition to natural crises, there are also provoked ones that arise due to external influence. According to her, in such cases, the crisis is often prepared from the outside, ordering information for publication through paid channels and budgets.
“These are crises where there is a certain ‘customer’ who prepares dirt and puts it into circulation at the right time,”
– she emphasizes.
Daria Suhenko also notes that it is impossible to prepare for these crises, as they often come as a complete surprise to companies. However, in order to effectively overcome the crisis, it is important to work on reputation and prepare for such situations in peacetime.
Image and reputation are the basis for successful business
Galyna Yanchenko, Member of Parliament of Ukraine, Head of the Parliamentary Special Commission on Investor Protection, believes that Telegram as a tool is neutral in itself and does not require a complete ban. According to her, the more important question is who uses this tool and for what purpose. However, she notes that there is also abuse of Telegram channels, particularly when they are used by people with dubious reputations and bad intentions. Yanchenko emphasizes the importance of reputation and personal brand, especially in business.
“In the last few years, I have been constantly facing situations where the reputation of a company or its owner is a crucial factor in solving problems. If you don’t take care of your reputation, start now, otherwise, when a problem happens, it will be too late,”
– she notes.
Galyna Yanchenko also spoke about the work of the Parliamentary Special Commission on Investor Protection, which deals with cases of businessmen dissatisfied with the actions of the state or law enforcement agencies. She recalled a situation when a business owner who had been the victim of a raider attack but had previously been involved in similar actions turned to the commission.
“We deliberately refused to help for reputational reasons. We do not want our commission to be involved in such a story,”
– explained the MP.
Galyna Yanchenko also raised the issue of revising the philosophy of criminal proceedings in Ukraine, as she believes that unjustified criminal cases often harm business, especially companies with international contracts. According to the MP, this may become an additional factor for foreign partners, which may make them refuse to work with Ukrainian business. She also expressed hope that over time it will be possible to resolve the problem and amend the Criminal Procedure Code.
“I hope that this issue will be resolved and we will be able to see practical changes. This can be an important step to reduce the pressure on business,”
– summarizes Yanchenko.
Thus, in the fast-changing information space, especially on platforms such as Telegram, the importance of a prompt response from PR managers cannot be overestimated. Businesses that do not have specialists on site risk being unprepared for various crisis situations, which can lead to significant financial and reputational losses. The key is the ability to respond instantly and effectively, using available PR tools and maintaining control over communications.
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Author: Darina Glushchenko
