Perhaps it’s a series of negative reviews, perhaps it’s a mishap that occurred over social media, perhaps it’s a business risk that backfired. A company with a tarnished brand image can result in dire consequences when it comes to customer retention rates and business revenue streams. 

That’s why it’s critical for a company to have crisis management strategies in place if one of the aforementioned situations occur. However, not all businesses have prepared for disaster to strike, and their reputations have already been tarnished. What are the next steps? What is the best way to make amends? What can a business learn from its mistakes? Furthermore, what can a brand do to prevent this from happening again in the future?

In this week’s post, the Find Your Audience team will answer these questions and provide some advice on how to repair a tarnished brand image and reputation.

Gather all the facts

Before deciding to execute a new plan on fixing what went wrong, make sure the facts are gathered first. This would help a business get a better idea of what truly happened, how an issue reached that point, and what steps were already taken in an attempt to mitigate it. Think of this scenario as a press conference. An individual would not hop onto a live one without a plan and without being fully knowledgeable about the facts regarding accountability, the message that needs to be conveyed, as well as the guidelines they should uphold. Get a team of professionals to calmly gather the necessary facts in an efficient manner before using the information to create a reasonable and effective response.

Be transparent in the response

The people behind a brand are only human, and mistakes can be made despite the right intentions. Instead of sweeping issues under the rug and letting them fester, help with the brand image repair process by being transparent in communication efforts. Honesty can go a long way, and customers and clients alike would appreciate a brand’s ability to be self aware. In addition, ensure that when owning up to mistakes, show what the company will do to make amends. This indicates that the willingness to listen to those affected, as well as a willingness to improve moving forward. 

Have a clear message

When communicating with others in order to repair a tarnished brand image, make sure that the message is clear. How stakeholders read the content provided should not be open and left to interpretation. Without clarity on the issue at hand, there would be more confusion and extrapolations that may be untrue and hurt a brand image further. A way to decide on the message being put out to stakeholders would be to gather all the necessary facts in a calm manner first. This type of information can be used to help give the audience a better understanding of the situation, as well as the company’s stance and proceedings following it. 

Respond quickly and professionally

Time is of the essence. A company that is able to respond quickly and professionally shows that it has its consumer and clients in mind. Having a fast response strategy may involve several elements such as a team of public relations professionals, creatives, and content writers who can deliver a message that is clear, shows humility, details what the business will be doing to make amends, as well as inform others about what will be done moving forward. The longer the response takes, the longer an issue can take root and fester, leading to a reputational risk. Being prepared for crisis management procedures to be executed is, therefore, vital to the success of a business. 

Having a tarnished brand image is not a great feeling. It hurts the business in the long run when it comes to reputation, growth, leads, and revenue. Figuring out the best way to move forward is no walk in the ballpark, either. However, the Find Your Audience team is here to help businesses with this. The team has worked closely with a variety of brands across the globe, repairing their reputations and providing customized strategies. 

Let Find Your Audience be your marketing and business partner. The team of experts may be contacted at either 647-479-0688 or hi@findyouraudience.online.