Every business will experience bad press at some point during its lifetime. It is an inevitable cost of doing business especially with today’s fast-paced easy access social bombardments. PR/Marketing Pro Nikki Alvin-Smith, has worked on celebrity PR teams, crafted speechwriting remedies for politicians, orchestrated social media management and written content for clarification and education for a range of industries. Here are Nikki’s Notes of advice to help business owners mitigate negative press:
“Bad press can be thwarted with a myriad of PR maneuvers. The choice of which method to employ to ‘write the wrong’ as I like to put it, will depend on whether there is an expectation of its interference in advance of the publication of the comments or materials or if troubleshooting is required after the event has transpired.
The most important thing to remember if you want to minimize the perceived negative impact of bad press is to never to respond with emotion. However justified the response might seem, an emotional response will serve to clutter and inflame the issue.
There are times when ignoring bad press is the best option. Other times an immediate and proactive reply should be adopted. The tone of any response that is issued requires careful consideration.
If you are able to get ahead of expected negative publicity then you have to be careful not to over-realize the prospective attack. Remember issuance of the threat of bad press or revealing information can be used to flush out a situation where the instigator has little actual knowledge or basis for claim.
Attacks on a business product or service may be unwarranted, but it is possible to make the proverbial lemonade out of even false feedback. It provides the opportunity to get ahead of what may be a perceived shortcoming in the product or service and gives the savvy business owner an opportunity to better brand their business.
Clients ask advice on everything from how to handle a quality control issue in their equestrian clothing line where the products have already hit the shelves, to how to solve social media platform obliteration of their pages by comments posted by folks that have no experience of their particular product or service.
While the customer may not always be right, active management of the brand is imperative, regardless of whether under nefarious attack from competitors, copycat product production companies, dissatisfied past employees or the general populace.
Each audience requires a studied approach, some investigation of the source and then thoughtful, clever writing to outwit their influence.”
If you need help brand building, lifting sales numbers and help navigating the PR minefield, please visit www.NikkiAlvinSmithStudio.com and her company HorseinaKiltMedia.com or reach out by email directly at Nikki@NikkiAlvinSmithStudio.com , call/text 607 434 4470.
About Nikki:
Internationally published writer, content creator, PR/Marketing specialist, photographer and equestrian Nikki Alvin-Smith offers “Engaging Content that Engages Riders to Read, “with unique and fresh material for your horse or pet related business, magazine, website, newsletter, blog and email blast sales machine. Her portfolio of works is extensive and includes equestrian and pet features that have been published worldwide in over 230 different magazine titles. Her clients include equestrian and “B” list movie celebrities for whom she regularly ghostwrites and provides PR services; manufacturers of equine and pet related medical devices, feedstuffs, supplements, grooming supplies, fencing and barn equipment, horse transport, horse structures and professional equine service providers; profit and non-profit initiatives and organizations; and non-equestrian related businesses/publications in the pet industry, investment, real estate and international travel and rural lifestyle. Please note all services (plus many others) are provided through Nikki’s corporate entity HorseinaKiltMedia.com
Nikki Alvin-Smith is a British international level Grand Prix dressage competitor/trainer/coach/clinician. Together with her husband Paul, who is also a Grand Prix dressage rider, Nikki operates Willowview Hill Farm in the Catskill Mountains of New York; a full service horse training facility. The duo provide ‘team’ clinician services to clients worldwide to riders of all levels and many riding disciplines.
Contact: Nikki Alvin-Smith: Content Writer; PR/Marketing Specialist
Email: Nikki@NikkiAlvinSmithStudio.com
Website: NikkiAlvinSmithStudio.com
Cell: 607 434 4470