Your reputation is your greatest asset.

Whether you are running a charitable organization protecting the welfare of animals or operating a business that is dedicated to animal care, a crisis could ruin your reputation which can dry up donations or end in boycotts.

While crises can’t always be avoided, they can and should be managed. And, having an animal welfare public relations strategy is one of the most efficient ways to manage your communications when a disaster strikes.

Successful crisis communications

A successful company always has contingency plans. You may have built marketing strategies to use during economic downturns or written guidelines to help during labor shortages, but if your organization hasn’t already developed a plan for handling a crisis, you’ve not prepared for everything.

You need a pre-approved strategy that will allow your communications team to respond immediately, truthfully, calmly and proportionately.

Getting in front of a crisis with a statement that is not only accurate but conveys a sincere apology or explanation of events is only possible if you already have a strategy in place that allows your team to move quickly.

An animal welfare PR agency can help you examine your vulnerabilities, distinguish your strengths, and identify and train the right spokespeople. It can also prepare your team by helping you develop stakeholder and media distribution lists and a coherent social media strategy. This kind of preparation will make your response more agile and clear-headed.

Reputation management

One of the best defenses during a business crisis is to always operate with the best offense.

Effective reputation management includes establishing a strong social media presence, writing consistent blog posts that offer your readers solutions to problems within your industry and producing consistent press releases that show your company as thought leaders.

While you hope it never happens, nearly all businesses will face a crisis at some point. But, if you handle them correctly, your preparation can help you weather the storm and, in some cases, come out ahead.

The public relations professionals at Orange Orchard understand the animal welfare industry – we are committed to the cause. And, we also understand how important your reputation is to your ongoing success.

Let us develop a strategy to maintain your positive reputation while preparing you to react in the event of a crisis. Call us at (865) 977-1973 or contact us online to schedule an appointment today.