Brands can easily and quickly find themselves in a crisis situation, owing to either the products going out of style or not meeting the market expectations. One other reason of this could be industrial slack as well.
Research shows that people have a habit of talking about their bad experiences with others. Digital media is now playing a very important role in creating and breaking brand perceptions. The increased usage of the internet on the mobile phone has enabled the consumers to be more vocal about their choices on social platforms. They are even talking to the brands directly, about their choices and preferences. Brands too, can now respond quickly to such opinions.
The key here lies in responding quickly to consumer queries. You have to be nice to your consumers and let them know that all will be well, soon. Brands need to be consistent in their approach while communicating with their consumers, regardless of the channel through which they are communicating. You need to carefully select the channel as well as the target of your communication, thus making it most effective in a crisis situation.
Here is a step by step approach to rebuilding your brand in a crisis:
1. Plan ahead
You should always have a crisis strategy ready with you. If you a prepared beforehand, it won’t lead to a panic situation. First, make a list of all the tools that you have. The key stakeholders need to be defined first and then the information that needs to go out to them. Finally, select a partner that will do the needful for you.
2. Make every opportunity count
You need to be in constant touch with your consumers, by engaging them in rewarding activities. Social media contests and events are some important ways in which you can not only reward your loyal customers but also thank them. This is also very useful in educating your customers about the products and services. Staying in touch will always make it easier for you to plan and remedy a crisis.
3. Convince customers to return to your product
Always make good the crisis situation by replacing the faulty product or service with the best one. Let your customer talk about this gesture of yours to his peers. Give some freebies too, if possible. Always have a call-to-action to get the feedback of the customers, so as to avoid or remedy any crisis.
4. Personalize
Always connect with your customers on a personal level. This makes them feel special and stay loyal to your brand. Speak directly to them and let them know what you are doing to improve their brand experience. Make your brand trustworthy and lovable.
5. Harness the power of local media
Most of the consumers today, read one local newspaper or the other. Use the credibility of this medium to gain credibility for your brand. The more credibility your brand gets, the lesser will be the impact of a crisis.
6. Blend
Post a crisis; always use a variety of media and messages to gain credibility for your product and service. This will maximize the reach of your message and minimize the impact of the crisis. Try to use print and online medium to reach your audience effectively.
Well, above all, you need to be committed to your customers and provide excellent products or services in order to keep your brand steering ahead. But your brand’s image is truly what makes it successful.
About the author: Alyssa Clarke is a passionate blogger and tech buff. She is always on a look out for latest tech stuff and is currently hunting for the best netbooks available. She also happens to be a car lover, especially compact cars and dreams of owing one soon.
For Every business, customer is the king. A loyal customer base will help you out of the crisis but make sure you keep them always satisfied with your services and not only during the crisis.