Image is evwrything

Image Is Everything
Many a times we have always heard of this phrase "Image is everything" ,but why so much hullabaloo of this phrase in the business realms ? It's because as humans beings we naturally trust and lean towards brands that "look" like they provide high quality brands or services.And that's why millions are invested in branding and marketing each and every day.

Image is very essence in what public relations tries to enhance and protect.It's this image that determines whether clients want to be associated with your brand.And by having a certain image in the business environment portrays quality of the brand associated with the product or the service.

But is really image everything in the market space ? Due to certain scenarios image might not be everything.Take for an example, a PR firm which boost a flash office to entice a client to their services,the impression to client is that they a upbeat to the task.But does that mean that they will do a good job and get you the value of your money?Not always. It's likely you'll meet the directors who will win you over but then all work will be carried out by the junior executives where skills and experience aren't always up to scratch.

Public relations is not only geared towards  images it also includes crisis communication,media events,internal communications,investor communications and community affairs.This aspects have been unattended and firms have been viewing PR in the image lens only.To build a strong firms PR all this need to be the building blocks for companies PR structure.

To sum up,a firm PR should be focussed on homing in on links between the organisation and the public.This responsibility requires craetivity and ability to come up with new and original ideas

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Posted at 02:27 |  by danorvvy

Pre-Crisis

The statement "Security Crisis" is so evident to each of us,especially here in Kenya.But what's a crisis ? As per Wikipedia definition,Crisis is an event that is,or expected to lead to,an unstable or dangerous situation affecting an individual,group,community, or the whole society.In my view crisis communication is very crucial when a crisis happens,as much as crisis brings damage how it's communicated can either cause more hurt or to some extend some relief.

Here in Kenya especially in government there has been a disjoint on how a crisis is communicated to the public.This has resulted to many Kenyans advocating for resignation of the Interior CS Ole Lenku.For Ole Lenku and the general public these are steps for pre-crisis strategy;

1. Form crisis communications team
A team comprising of senior executives should be formed with the in-house PR executive and legal counsel as the advisers.

2. Foresee crises
Organize crisis communications team and brainstorm any potential crises that may affect your organizations or country.The most foreseeable benefits for this exercise are
You realize that some of the crises can be controlled by modifying some of the existing operational methods.
provides much time to ponder on the best /worst case scenarios much better than when you are under pressure.

3. Identify and train spokesperson
A good crisis communicator must possess;

• The right skills
• The right position
• The right training

The right skills
There are senior management executives who can address 1000 person conference audience but they can freak out when a video camera is pointed their way for one-on-one interview,matching spokesperson skills with their tasks in the crisis communication team is very critical.

4. Spokesperson Training
The spokesperson should undergo training in order to respond in a way that optimizes the response of all stakeholders.

5. Establish notification & monitoring systems
How will you notify all stakeholders? Having a channel that reaches a great number of all stakeholders is key in multiple modalities.The notification systems shouldn't only be dependent on only one channel of notification but on multiple channels.

monitoring systems touches on having intelligence gathering,knowing what people are saying about you enables you catch the negative trend ,that if unchecked can become a crisis.

6. Identify and know your stakeholders
Who are the people who matter to you? are they your employees of your firm or the citizens of your country.Every stakeholders stands as PR representative or the crisis manager of your firm or country by default hence these stakeholders will be taking to other persons outside your firm or country so its up to you to make sure that they get information that you would like them to repeat elsewhere.

7. Establish holding statements
Holding messages are designed for use immediately after a crisis breaks,they should be designed in advance to be used in scenarios that pose potential crises as identified in step 2 of this process.These statemensts should be reviewed periodically.




Thank me later keep it here for the second part "post-crisis"....

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Posted at 02:24 |  by danorvvy