Taking business from a gloomy downturn into the bright skies

At some point, every company experiences a problematic period at different times of its existence, and it’s the responsibility of the company to manage such a situation that can influence its survival. Is it right to let the whole world know the company is going through hard times or is it better to put on a glamorous image despite a hard time? The second option is a better decision to make; clients may not be ready to stand by you when hard times occur, and they might even switch to other service providers because they believe you can no longer serve them well, due to your company’s present condition.

We have seen companies who we all thought were doing perfectly well suddenly declare bankruptcy or get sold out. These things don't actually happen suddenly, the problem is always there, but only the top executives know about it. Keeping things quiet during downtime is a better strategy. Lousy news scares customers, don’t think they will sympathize with you and stick around. Putting on a positive image despite a downturn is essential in every business.

Public relations can send the necessary message to the right audience while ensuring that every word only affects the company positively. The message could simply be about previous or future statistics, positive customer feedback, amazing news stories or new partnerships.

YOU CAN USE THESE PR METHODS TO KEEP A COMPANY AHEAD OF ITS COMPETITORS DESPITE ANY HARD TIME:

Propaganda
It is the manipulation of symbols to promote an attitude positively. It is used politically and also in business to sell a perceived idea to the public. We have seen companies which were experiencing downturns, and instead of declaring bankruptcy, they were still holding strong, some were even hosting competitions, and running fake lotteries where they paid actors to act like winners.

Campaigns
Campaigning is a strategy managed by PR departments to keep the business alive. It is a coordinated publicity program using several media channels to push publicity to a targeted audience.

Lobbying
Lobbying is also a well-known strategy in public relations; this is an act of influence on individuals and businesses using different ways to win their support.