Negative publicity can damage your brand reputation, customer loyalty, and sales. But it doesn't have to be the end of the world. With a smart marketing strategy, you can turn a crisis into an opportunity to rebuild trust, showcase your values, and differentiate yourself from the competition. Here are some tips on how to use marketing strategy to address negative publicity.
The first step in dealing with negative publicity is to acknowledge the problem and apologize sincerely. Don't try to hide, deny, or deflect the issue. That will only make it worse. Instead, show empathy and accountability for your actions and explain what you are doing to fix the situation. Use multiple channels, such as social media, email, press releases, and your website, to communicate your message and reach your target audience.
Just look at Antennagate and do precisely the opposite of what Apple did. Apple denied the problem, deflected, and blamed consumers. The way to approach it in steps: 1. Recognize the issue; 2. Apologize sincerely; 3. Use all channels available to make your apology heard; 4. Communicate a plan to understand the problem; 5. Communicate the findings; 6. Create a plan to fix the problem for the consumer if applicable; 7. Communicate how consumers should act if a problem persists or a new one arises.
A heartfelt apology which is direct and where the brand owns up pacifies matters a lot. Defending the issue is often seen as arrogance or trying to hide the problem.It is always a good idea to use proper channels and through proper communication address the issue and then through continuous communication highlight the actions taken to rectify the issue,this helps in instilling back the trust.
When I first started in advertising, there was the first PR disaster involving product tampering with Tylenol in which some people were poisoned and died. We all watched in astonishment as the head of Johnson & Johnson went on TV in a solemn commercial where he addressed the problem head on, took responsibility, and declared the company’s commitment to improving its product safety. The tampering incident could have been the end of the brand. Instead it became an opportunity to re-establish trust with the customer, even enhance it. Brands can use even the biggest disaster as a PR positive if they are seen to be responding with integrity, courage and care for the customer. Publicly take the L, and do what it takes to make it right.
Sure, handling negative publicity directly is crucial. From my experience, I've learned that transparency and sincere apologies act as a kind of initial relief. When facing criticism, I chose to be direct and showed empathy. Ultimately, I learned that authenticity truly connects and builds trust.
In response to negative publicity, a strategic marketing approach involves transparent communication, addressing concerns openly, and emphasizing positive aspects to rebuild trust and reshape public perception.
The second step in dealing with negative publicity is to listen to feedback from your customers, stakeholders, and the public. Don't ignore or argue with negative comments. Instead, respond politely and professionally, and try to understand their concerns and expectations. Use surveys, polls, reviews, and online forums to gather insights and opinions. This will help you identify the root causes of the problem, assess the impact of the negative publicity, and adjust your marketing strategy accordingly.
Always answer. Especially online, if you have a lot of complaints from customers and stakeholders. Sitting on bad complaints and not answering them will only let other users stir the kettle for you.
Actively listening to feedback is pivotal. Engage attentively, refraining from dismissing negative comments. Adopt a polite, professional response, seeking to comprehend concerns. Deploy listening and sentiment analysis tools for nuanced insights. Identify root causes and assess negative publicity's impact effectively. Armed with understanding, adeptly adjust your marketing strategy. This proactive commitment addresses concerns and rebuilds a positive narrative, demonstrating responsiveness to challenges in a concise and strategic manner.
Do not neglect feedback,go through each feedback and reply. An unanswered feedback Is oftentimes treated as a sign of arrogance by the consumers. Brands should be human and humane,they should give a patient hearing and understand the pain point and thus try and douse the fire.
Handling negative publicity involves paying attention to customer and stakeholder feedback. My approach is to respond courteously and professionally, avoiding arguments. In a past situation, we faced social media criticism regarding product deliveries. Instead of defending our position, we used surveys and online forums to understand customer concerns. This allowed us to identify underlying issues and assess the actual impact. We adjusted the marketing strategy to address concerns, turning negative feedback into improvement opportunities and strengthening customer relationships.
Your acknowledgement to the negative feedback will neutralise half of your problem. Therefore, do not leave the negative feedback unattended and especially if people are naive and unnecessary personal, try your best to make them feel that they are very important for you. Use the cultivated communication tools and the best language skills. Do not just rely on simple system generated emails or messages.
The third step in dealing with negative publicity is to reinforce your value proposition and remind your audience why they chose you in the first place. Don't focus on the negative aspects of the problem. Instead, highlight the positive aspects of your brand, such as your mission, vision, values, benefits, and achievements. Use stories, testimonials, case studies, and awards to showcase your success and credibility. This will help you restore confidence and loyalty among your existing customers and attract new ones.
Consistency, transparency, and a focus on positive elements will contribute to turning the narrative in a more favorable direction.Emphasize the positive attributes of your brand, such as its mission, vision, values, and benefits.Steer the narrative away from the negative aspects and redirect attention to the strengths that set your brand apart.
Damage control and crisis communication play a big role, at the face of adversity. It is imperative to address the negative feedback and simultaneously talk about the corporate values and the culture on which the brand is built. This helps in re instilling hope and confidence amidst all stakeholders. Brooding over the unpleasant can be demotivating,rather reminiscing the pillars of strength helps in restoring credibility and vigour.
Refreshing the value proposition is crucial when dealing with negative publicity. In my experience, when we faced challenges, we highlighted what makes us unique. We emphasized our mission, values, and achievements to remind our customers why they chose us in the first place. It was essential not to focus on the negative but to showcase the quality and authenticity we provide. We restored our customers' trust and attracted new followers who appreciate what we truly stand for.
Talk about your history prior to the negative publicity. Tell consumers about the trust they had given to you over the years and then begin to seek a bit backwards and create or elevate history partners to help remind consumers that this was a brand that you once enjoyed and trusted.
The fourth step in dealing with negative publicity is to offer incentives and solutions to your customers and prospects. Don't just say sorry and hope for the best. Instead, show that you care and appreciate their support and patience. Use discounts, coupons, freebies, refunds, or guarantees to compensate for any inconvenience or loss caused by the problem. Use webinars, blogs, podcasts, or videos to educate and inform your audience about the problem and how you are solving it. This will help you increase satisfaction and retention among your customers and generate interest and leads among your prospects.
Compensation may look like bribing ,so this needs to be tackled with a lot of empathy. An apology with a sincere intent to solve the issue is the right approach. the goal here is to address the problem and be honest and not aggravate the situation by compensating in terms of incentives. May be once the issue is resolved, then the consumer can be approached with a token gift coupon etc as a gesture to maintain the goodwill.
I'm going to disagree with this. It can sometimes be looked at as "buying forgiveness". Yes, some discounts are okay, but only when they are inside the scope of what the brand normally offers. You can't buy consumers off. They know the difference.
The fifth step in dealing with negative publicity is to monitor and measure the results of your marketing strategy and actions. Don't assume that everything is back to normal. Instead, track and analyze the key performance indicators, such as brand awareness, sentiment, reputation, traffic, conversions, and sales. Use tools, such as Google Analytics, social media analytics, and online reputation management software, to collect and evaluate data. This will help you determine the effectiveness of your marketing strategy and identify areas for improvement.
100% agree and make sure that the results resonate with your stakeholders, especially those in the C-Suite. This is another place where 100% honesty wins.
The sixth and final step in dealing with negative publicity is to learn from the experience and improve your marketing strategy and practices. Don't repeat the same mistakes or ignore the lessons learned. Instead, use the feedback and data to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your marketing strategy and actions. Use the best practices and recommendations to optimize and enhance your marketing strategy and actions. This will help you prevent or minimize future negative publicity and improve your brand performance and reputation.
Fleet Manager @ Crown Health | JD, Problem Solver, Logistics and Distribution Management
Always tell the truth. You can and should put things in the best possible light. Tell the good parts of the story but be factual. Get ahead of it if possible. The worst possible scenario is for people to think you lied about whatever happened. You can’t come back from that once it’s done.
Make feedback and learning a brand quality. Not that you should claim ALL customer feedback will be accepted. First, select a couple of negative feedback points, and put them right. Harness the voice of the complainant - whether customer, or press or whoever. Get them to acknowledge the issue has been resolved (or challenge them to prove it hasn't!). And convince your employees and customers the issue has been solved. Ask them to post about the solution. Survey customer opinion as further evidence. Then move on to the next big issue. Ultimately you'll stand out (though the journey may be hard) because most companies just try and brush it all under the carpet.
Many companies underestimate the power and effectiveness of employee advocacy. Instead of shouting out how good you are through an ad or brand campaign, tell it through a story via your employees, key spokespeople in proactive media commentaries/interviews and responding to customers on your social channels instead of blocking them or ignoring them. Employees can be your best voice if you empower them to share the opposite of the negative publicity you are known for with their own positive experience and stories.
Transparency and Authenticity: Address concerns openly, admitting faults if needed. Positive Messaging: Highlight strengths and values, emphasizing improvements. Engagement and Communication: Actively engage with audiences through social media, addressing concerns directly. Reputation Management: Leverage testimonials, case studies, and endorsements to rebuild trust. Offer Solutions: Show commitment by offering solutions or corrective actions. Consistent Brand Voice: Maintain a consistent, positive brand image across all platforms. Monitor and Adjust: Continuously monitor feedback and adjust strategies for better reception. Employee Advocacy: Engage employees as advocates to amplify positive messaging.