Experts have said it time and time again: brand reputation takes a long time to build, but can be destroyed in a matter of moments. However, many businesses don’t understand how to take advantage of this effective and important tool to help their business grow and thrive in a competitive landscape.
Florida-based PR firm Otter PR is revolutionizing the way brands manage their reputation through public relations. The Otter PR team has helped hundreds of brands manage and grow their brands — working with companies of all sizes across many industries. Thanks to their commitment to providing clients with first-rate service, Otter PR has received recognition and praise, such as being ranked the #1 PR firm on Clutch, G2, and UpCity.
The importance of brand reputation management
One of the most important aspects of running a business in today’s landscape is the reputation of the business.
“In our increasingly online world, it is easier than ever for customers, clients, and employees to share their opinions and experiences with companies to the rest of the world,” says Scott Bartnick, co-founder and CEO of Otter PR. “Similarly, anyone in the world can easily find information about virtually any brand or company with just a few clicks. A positive online reputation can be a powerful way to set a business apart, while a negative reputation can be devastatingly destructive.”
As Bartnick explains, the most important part of building a brand’s reputation is to establish a relationship of trust and credibility with the public. Although these qualities are hard for brands to earn, they can be some of the most powerful tools in their arsenal.
That being said, it is important to remember that — however difficult it may have been to build that trust and credibility — it’s even harder to rebuild it once it is lost. As such, building a strong reputation is just as important as learning how to maintain it.
How Otter PR can help manage your brand reputation
One approach Otter PR excels in is thought leadership. In a thought leadership campaign, a company spokesperson — often the CEO or another company leader — is positioned as an expert in their field as part of their brand reputation management strategy. This allows the thought leader (and, by extension, their company) to feel more legitimate, trustworthy, and credible in the eyes of the public. Otter PR helps clients become thought leaders by securing them opportunities to comment on topics and issues relevant to their field.
The main goal of public relations — especially thought leadership — is to enhance a brand’s value, recognition, and equity in the marketplace. “While public relations may not directly convert to sales in the same way that some methods like pay-per-click marketing do,” says Bartnick, “an investment in PR pays off in the long run because it can position a brand in the mind’s eye of the public and keep it there.”
Otter PR’s diverse team is key to a great brand reputation management strategy
Part of what makes Otter PR stand out is the diversity of its team, which is comprised of publicists of all ages — from seasoned professionals with decades of experience to movers and shakers with a fresh and innovative perspective on what it takes to get a company’s story heard. Thanks to the wide variety of backgrounds, Otter PR can help clients in any industry, from tech and finance to fashion, consumer goods, and more build a positive brand reputation.
Indeed, Otter PR boasts a proven track record of securing its clients’ meaningful placements in reputable publications, including many recognizable outlets such as Forbes and IBT. The Otter PR team is so confident in its ability to secure success for its clients that it backs all its services with a guarantee. The minimum standards for success are established when a client signs up with the company, and the Otter team will continue to meet this quota month after month.
Thanks to its publicists with extensive expertise in the media and media relations fields, Otter PR has an extensive network of contacts and connections they can leverage to help their clients get placements in top-tier and industry-specific publications. Additionally, the firm invests in top-of-the-line public relations software, which allows the team to keep in touch with journalists on the most timely, trendy, and relevant topics in the news and pop culture.
Furthermore, the Otter PR team can help brands take advantage of the new and emerging field of social media through comprehensive strategies that focus on proactive social listening and content marketing. Over the past few years, Otter PR has been working hard to create a network of influencers with whom they can partner to help their clients get more exposure and eyes from potential customers on their product or service. “In this day and age, ignoring social media is not only a massive mistake,” Bartnick remarks, “but also entirely irresponsible because of the power it has to help boost a brand and its recognition.”
Importance of reputation management in crisis
Otter PR also has experience helping brands with their reputation management needs. Plenty of companies offer valuable and meaningful products and services, but have found their reputations tarnished due to no fault of their own — with reasons ranging from disgruntled former employees to a vocal minority of dissatisfied customers. Otter PR can help boost a brand’s online reputation through positive PR, backlinks, and online reviews while suppressing negative links and articles.
One of the biggest threats to a brand’s reputation is an unforeseen branding crisis. In times of crisis, Otter PR’s team works extremely well under pressure and can launch a timely and powerful crisis response to help control the story in the media. “We know the urgency of responding to threats to a brand’s image before things spiral out of control,” Bartnick notes. “Working with a powerful PR team is essential to handle a crisis and make it out safely to the other side.”
A proactive crisis management strategy helps build strong brand recognition
However, even in periods of relative calm, working with a PR team can be extremely valuable because it allows a brand to maintain consistency in its messaging, communications, and image. Otter PR takes a strategic, deliberate approach to communications, so that clients and their brands can be positioned to the public in the most advantageous way possible.
Managing brand reputation is one of the most important steps businesses must take in their growth, whether that means building a positive reputation or remedying a negative one. Although reputation management can be a tricky process, Otter PR and its team have perfected the art of harnessing public relations to create — and, more importantly, retain — the public’s trust in their clients’ brands.
