National brands: consumer PR and communication guidelines
In the area of consumer PR, the management of national strategies is frequently the responsibility of country managers and marketing teams, all of whom operate under the supervision of headquarters. It is a model that acknowledges the need for customized PR strategies in each market, aligning them with specific marketing campaigns and localized demand, while adhering to fundamental core principles and a holistic approach to public relations.
The purpose of consumer public relations is to establish credibility, raise awareness, and facilitate the acquisition of new clients and consumers. Below, I've developed consumer PR guidelines that resonate with diverse audiences while remaining faithful to the overarching brand goals.
Objectives and general approach
The primary objective of the communication is to increase the target audience's awareness and positive perception of? brands in the media and online sector.
General PR activities directed to:
- Build a positive online and offline image of the brand while promoting its strength and unique aspects.
- Raise awareness of the brand among clients and consumers in a controlled manner at both regional and national levels.
- Establish stable and positive relations with national, regional, local, and specialized media while receiving positive and neutral coverage.
- Attract new clients and consumers and keep the existing ones.
Why does a company's national brand and its reputation matter?
The generation of content will create positive vision and attitude by customers, journalists, and other stakeholders. On the other hand, a lack of official information about brands may lead to misunderstandings about brands and products.
A positive media narrative will likely improve companies` interaction with regulators. Managing PR activities may lead to more effective engagement.
Media perception, credibility, and public endorsement significantly impact all institutional players and business partners who come into contact with the company. Media credibility is particularly important when dealing with reputation-sensitive companies, banking institutions and legal advisers.??
Recognition and media coverage raise the profile of the company and open up a universe of non-core new investors. It also increases the legitimacy for professional investors to explore new opportunities.
Third-party content will always be credible and will normally receive high search results. Business-oriented and professional content, written by journalists who are interested in the company when combined with online reputation management, provides the best defense against negative publications.
It will be easier and cheaper to attract and retain top talent. Employees are motivated by a number of factors, including pride in their workplace and learning opportunities.
General target audiences
When starting to plan PR activities, take into consideration the general list of stakeholders and focus on your priorities depending on national market specifics and business stage development.
For instance:
- Authorities and regulators
- Clients and customers
- Business partners
- Media
- Investors
- Talent
Suggested approach for a newly launched company
Owned Content
Content generation plays a crucial role in any public activity. As the saying goes: “To stand out, you need outstanding content.” This is especially true when you want to engage your audience. Consider how you can provide value to your target audience, not only through your product or service but also through your expert knowledge.
Key channels for publishing owned content include:? ?
- Website Blog
It's important to remember that for better results, all website content should be SEO-optimized. The blog section can be divided into different categories. For example, 'Company News' can be dedicated to official announcements, press releases, and media coverage, while 'Company Blog' can feature unique articles and tips that highlight the benefits of your product or service.??
- E-newsletters
E-newsletters can be published on your website or/and distributed to your target audience regularly. It's beneficial if they include in-depth, thought-provoking messages on specific topics. Readers appreciate new, interesting, and engaging information.
- External company’s blogs
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External company blogs serve multiple purposes, including providing additional coverage of your own company's products and services, generating interest among your target audience, and partially addressing your brand's online reputation. Therefore, it's essential to carefully assess opportunities for placing external content and the credibility of the platforms you choose. Consider the platform's audience and its authority in local markets. Notable international sites include Finextra, Medium, e27, Vocal Media and others.
Online Reputation Management/Digital Profile
A good reputation is the key to your business's success. How a company that provides, e.g., products or services, is portrayed in the digital space and what the target audience can discover about it online are critical factors. Among the initial steps to take when launching a product is establishing your company's digital profile.
Ideally, your digital profile should be filled with positive brand-related information. You can utilize the following resources:
●? The company website and its blog
●? Official social media profiles
●? External blogs related to the company
●? Business directories
●? Company’s profiles on feedback sites
●? Media publications and other external websites with positive or neutral information about the company
The information presented on the first branded page in search results should be both actual and positive or neutral.
An essential aspect is the company's presence on review platforms, including timely responses from the company to customer feedback, whether it's low or high ratings, negative or positive reviews. On a 5-point rating scale, a rating below 3.5 is considered low, 3.5-3.9 is average, and above 3.9 is good. Special attention should be given to the company's rating on reputable sites such as Trustpilot, Google Play, Apps Store, Glassdoor or others that are local. Positive feedback from your clients and consumers not only boosts your advantage but also enhances your credibility, potentially attracting your target audience.
For a quick assessment of your online reputation, you can search for? 'company name', 'company name reviews' and other relevant local language search queries. Keep in mind that a person's previous searches and clicked links heavily influence and personalize search results. Therefore, it's advisable to double-check the results using automated services, which are accessible in both free and premium versions. For example, you can do a free online analysis on the ADVES main page: https://adves.com/en/.
Media Relations??
First and foremost, it's important to determine which media channels will yield the best results and require your attention. Media can typically be categorized into five main groups: international (not a top priority for consumer PR), national, regional, local and specialized. By 'specialized,' I refer to media outlets that cater to specific niche audiences, such as business, finance, regulators, HR, consumers, and so on.
- Depending on your target audience, you should identify the most relevant media outlets and develop communication strategies to engage with representatives from these outlets. Different segments require different news angles that resonate with their particular interests. Gaining external media coverage will significantly boost trust and credibility in your business.
- Announcements and company press releases play a vital role. Depending on the specific market, they can be distributed either through automated press release distribution services, through PR management platforms or through targeted interactions with specific journalists.
- Partnerships. For a newly launched company it is good to get on board stable partners with big names in the national and regional markets. Settle with partners on joint PR activities that should be distributed by all appropriate company’s public channels.
- It also makes sense to publish guaranteed editorial (or advertorial) content highlighting the company's strengths. This approach can generate additional trust from the target audience in a shorter time frame.
- Another crucial aspect of the PR strategy for the newly launched company is posting in-depth product reviews on external websites. These reviews should have a positive or neutral tone.
Social media
Social media is one of the key channels for delivering information to your audience, expanding your business opportunities, growing your customer base, and building your community network. First, you should determine which social media platforms are most active in the market to attract the right audience. Each social media platform has its advantages and requires different content formats.
- When targeting a professional audience, a company's or CEO’s profile on LinkedIn and Twitter (now rebranded to ‘X’) can play a significant role.?
- For reaching consumers, activity on Х, Facebook, Instagram, and other local social media platforms is essential.
- Don't forget about forum platforms, such as Quora, Reddit, and others, where your community may be active.
Your company's presence on social media should be systematic and consistent, rather than spontaneous.
YouTube
Product reviews for the company are frequently presented in video format. Therefore, it's crucial to proactively manage the product's presence on YouTube. Crafting the company's image through product videos and collaborating with partners and influencers is essential to guaranteeing the publication of high-quality reviews.
In addition to content quality, it's advisable to incorporate brand and commercial hashtags into the videos to enhance their visibility to the target audience. These strategic hashtags can help your content reach a wider and more engaged audience, maximizing the impact of your product reviews.
Offline Events
Events are a versatile communication channel that can benefit businesses of all sizes, offering both in-person and virtual attendance options to reach a diverse audience. They present an excellent opportunity to cultivate trust among stakeholders.
By delivering accurate information to your target customers, you can foster confidence. Offline events are particularly crucial for establishing government relations (GR) communication, attracting institutional partners, and engaging potential clients.
Crisis Management
In the event of crisis situations, it is advisable to immediately contact the headquarters. Hasty, piecemeal actions are not recommended. Effective coordination outlined by HQ within the organization is important, serving as the hub for critical decisions and strategies. Equally crucial is a well-defined crisis response plan that assigns clear roles and responsibilities. These elements — coordination, headquarters leadership, and a comprehensive response plan — together constitute a robust crisis PR strategy, enabling companies to navigate turbulent times with confidence and resilience.
Company’s social responsibility (optional)
Any business can only be sustainable over time if it is seen by all its stakeholders, i.e. the society, as delivering value in order to make the country or region a better place.
CSR programs, which support national companies’ sustainability efforts, may have the following features:
- CSR should be directed towards aiding the most vulnerable and financially distressed individuals and communities, effecting substantial and tangible positive change in their lives.
- It should be organized in a way that would allow it to be systematic, fully transparent, and disclosable.
-?CSR efforts should not be short-lived or ad-hoc but rather sustainable over time. The aim is to create lasting positive change that endures beyond the immediate initiative.
- Initiatives should align with the core values and objectives of the business, ensuring that they resonate with the company's mission and resonate with its stakeholders.
- Collaborative efforts involving partnerships with other businesses, non-profit organizations, and government entities can amplify the reach and impact of CSR initiatives.