Marketing strategies: Pr & reputation

In this presentation, I have leant three important things relating to reputation creation, maintenance and rectification after it has been destroyed. I have deduced that a reputation of a company takes time and effort to build but it can be lost instantly. Secondly, I have learnt that there is a need for organizations to ensure that the image is properly management especially through proactively managing their social media.  In addition, an image that has been damaged, more so through the social media is not lost due to a crisis but the manner in which it is communicated and solved (Katariina, Juusola,n.d, 13).  The reputation of a firm can be built and maintained through social media as a major channel. I reckon that this would include choosing the right networks that can support the information relayed to the public about the organization an one that can influence the public understanding of the organization.  This is due to the fact that a good percentage of the public use social media many times a day making one of the best weapon that can be used in influencing the identity, image and hence reputation (CARROLL, 2013, 40).   There lots of social networks can be used in the provision of shareable but valuable content. I think that a stronger brand reputation would be built if a firm focuses sharing content that viewers in the social media would want to share.  This is better than just posting content for the purpose of meeting arbitrary publishing periods or which includes subjects which only the management wants to read(CARROLL, 2013,41). Therefore, I am certain that all content shared should support the band identity, image and thus reputation.

The other important point I learnt is that online tools can be used in the management of reputation of a brand.  Such tools are very important in communicating the appropriate information to the public. This involves avoiding advertisements that can be considered offensive, handling of third-party content and the management of any crisis that may arise. I understand this to be the major point of reputation management especially by use of social media. This goes hand in hand in the maintenance of the said reputation.  I think that not participating on social media may make things to go wrong, given that the nowadays people are always on social media. Therefore, customers may want to have the information of their company to be at their finger tips especially when it comes to notices (CARROLL, 2013, 41). I consider that reputation management should also include managing the risk of the reputation. Management should adopt a forward-looking approach and having a preemptive mindset when it comes to such risks.  This should be done with a consideration that a reputation will not be lost the arising crisis but how such crises are solved after the damage (CARROLL, 2013, 40). Therefore, I have learnt that social media is a very powerful tool that can be used in mitigating risks related to reputation damage. Managing of reputation damage would require that a firm has a social media plan already, which can direct employees on what they should or should not do (CARROLL, 2013, 41).  I reckon that the plan should include an assessment of the nature of the situation, developing of key messages that can respond to the crises and communicating effectively to through the social networks.

References

Katariina, Juusola(n.d).Marketing management (mgt520).1-19

CARROLL, C. E. (2013). The Handbook of Communication and Corporate Reputation. New York, NY, John Wiley & Sons.  40-42http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:101:1-2014121610593.