Business Connections by Adams

6 F A L L 2 0 1 8 It Starts With Search Results Search results are fundamental to defensive branding, since they help determine brand equity. If a consumer goes to Google and types in the name of your business plus “complaints,” what will come up? This is particularly vital in categories such as automotive, wireless, and electronics, where most purchases start with a search. For example, let’s say a brand is suffering from a false rumor about product safety. The company could use a defensive marketing tactic and purchase keywords via Google’s AdSense to make sure consumers have access to the brand’s side of the story. People searching about the product’s safety will see a banner or text ad from the company with a message about “getting the facts” that links to a webpage on the company’s site. This provides the opportunity to share honest information and address the safety rumor directly—important since consumers tend to believe accusations if they don’t see a company defending itself. Twitter and Facebook Play Different Roles In addition to the purchase of keywords on Google, companies will strategically use Facebook and Twitter as part of defensive branding programs. Each plays a different, but equally valuable, role. You can think of Twitter as an early warning system that tells companies what’s going on as it happens and enables them to respond rapidly. The online retailer, Zappos, is a company known for its successful use of social media. When Zappos learned of a disgruntled customer that tweeted about poor service, it sent the customer an email with an apology, an explanation of the customer service snafu, and a generous coupon toward a future Zappos purchase. Most importantly, Zappos used the information from Twitter to make needed improvements to its customer service operations, thereby defending its brand. The strength of Facebook is that it allows companies to engage consumers in a deeper, more comprehensive way. A brand’s Facebook page is a public profile that encourages thoughtful conversations between the company and consumer, and helps to develop brand advocacy. As you consider defensive branding at your company, remember this: The closer you can get to your customers, the more effectively you can respond to their questions, meet their needs, and prevent small problems from becoming huge ones. A good defense really is the best offense. OOOOO O O O O X X X X X X X X X X X Playbook for Defensive Branding Handling complaints and rumors in the age of consumer-generated media Defensive branding is the process of protecting your brand from negative consumer impressions such as product/service complaints and harmful rumors. Of course, companies have always had to respond to negative press (remember Tylenol in the 1980s?) but now they must do it more quickly. In this age of consumer-generated media, bad news travels fast. That’s why defensive branding is a hot topic and a subject worthy of discussion for businesses of any size.