Reputation is increasingly important for organizations and brands, not only as the key ingredient for building prestige, but also as the intangible asset that allows them to connect with the general public and create solid links, credibility and goodwill. Warren Buffet put it best: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to destroy it.” So beyond generating actions that position an organization or brand in the public eye, it is equally important to generate and maintain a constant conversation. Within this equation, it is essential to determine what is proactive public relations and how it must be taken into account as an alternative.
RP is not only a lifeline in times of crisis or emergency, it is also key to promoting strategies which allow one’s good name to be built, highlighted and reinforced at all times. Proactive public relations is nothing more than the actions which can be carried out constantly and actively to strengthen the positioning and recognition of a brand, in itself, and its reputation. To do so, it is extremely important to have a strategy that allows a brand to constantly communicate what sets it apart, which can be very useful in positioning it at the forefront of audiences’ hearts and minds.
As you can tell from the name, proactive PR seeks to maintain active communication at all times in order to highlight the positives and the strengths of an organization or brand. There is no need to wait until issues arise or something goes wrong to speak up. In fact, taking proactive measures not only strengthens relationships with Key Opinion Leaders, but also reinforces credibility and the opportunity to position brands and their spokespersons as expert and reliable sources of information.
When the decision is made to take action within the framework of proactive public relations, the following aspects must be taken into account:
- Position key messages. It is important to emphasize that the more the message is repeated, the more likely it is that it will be remembered in the audiences that you want to reach.
- Identify allies. In this case, journalists play a leading role. Building medium and long-term relationships will not only strengthen the brand’s reputation as a leader and reliable source of information for the media, it will also result in allies during difficult times, when third-party validation is required.
- Content is key. To build credibility, it is important to have something important, different and valuable to say, which is why it is important to have quality editorial content that gives the journalist the necessary resources to report truthfully and in a timely manner.
- Spokespeople should always be prepared. When it comes to building reputation, the spokesperson acts as a brand’s cover letter and representative. There is no point in developing perfect messaging if the spokesperson is not able to adequately express them. In addition, their empathy is key to journalists feeling confident and in the hands of experts.
Everything that makes up what is proactive public relations can bring many benefits. If proactive PR is not yet part of your positioning and communication strategy, perhaps it is time to think again. At Sherlock Communications we are always here to help you achieve this goal.
This post is part of our PR quick guide. Check our blog or follow our social media channels (@sherlockcomms) to read more content written by our team.
