Thanks to the internet and social media, news spreads like wildfire. It’s why brands today need to have wicked-smart reputation managers and public relations (PR) teams behind them. They’re the ones who respond to criticism and devise strategies during difficult times—but they’re also the ones who share exciting business developments and corporate initiatives with the public. It’s a multifaceted job.
In order for PR teams to work efficiently, they need clever tools and platforms available at their fingertips—ones that can be used at a moment’s notice. That’s where .SUCKS comes into play. Whether you’re introducing the world to something new, managing a mishap or trying to spread a positive message, here’s how this catchy domain can be used as part of your PR strategy.
Launching New (or Updated) Products
How do you grab attention in a sea of new products, old products and updated products? When introducing your audience to something new, the first few days and weeks are critical—and not having a formally planned or structured launch does a disservice to your brand.
Social media posts, podcasts, interviews, TV spots and landing pages are all part of the product-launch puzzle. A domain like [ProblemYourProductSolves].Sucks can attract people who need your services. A new workflow management app, for example, could use MissingDeadlines.Sucks to attract consumers who want a project management solution.
Communicating Company News
When change happens, you need to let customers and followers know about it—and you need to do it fast. The quicker you’re able to explain why things are shifting, the less chance media and consumers have to put a negative (or untrue) spin on things.
Facebook recently decided to add “From Facebook” to Instagram, WhatsApp and its other social properties—a move that came across as sketchy to end users and the FTC alike. Instead of letting news outlets report the changes, they could have used a dedicated online space to explain the rationale behind their decision in a more productive way. A domain like FromFacebook.Sucks would have allowed the company to poke fun at itself while also providing answers.
Announcing Social Initiatives
A lot of companies choose to support causes that they feel passionate about. Provided that companies are being genuine about the initiatives they back (i.e. they aren’t just donating to charity for a tax break), philanthropy can be a huge benefit—but only if potential and existing customers know what you’re doing!
So how can you best explain what you’re doing and why you’re doing it? A domain like [WorldProblem].Sucks—think ChildPoverty.Sucks—can bring attention to causes you care about, and provide a space where customers can learn about the actions you’re taking to fight against them.
Getting Through a Crisis
Maybe your reputation took a hit recently. Or maybe your online ads landed next to dubious content. Every brand should have a crisis management plan in place so they can try to get through controversies, bad press and other mishaps relatively unscathed. Optimistically, you’d never have to use it, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
The trick to crisis management is working fast. If you take too long to compose a response, your messaging may feel too scripted and come across as inauthentic. But remember, working fast doesn’t mean working sloppy—your approach should be strategic and thoughtful, not slapdash.
A .SUCKS domain can help you mobilize any message. [Event].Sucks domains can be used to provide an open forum for critics to voice their opinions—and where you can respond to criticism in depth. Jeff Goldblum could have gotten some pretty good use out of DefendingWoodyAllen.Sucks.
Managing Employee Relations
Employee relations is the process of cultivating a company’s reputation amongst its own staff. And it’s just as important as media or customer relations. In order to have a strong business foundation, you need your employees to be your biggest fans and advocates.
Bad employee relationships could make it difficult to attract and retain staff—and because high turnover rates cost a company valuable time and money, it’s better to communicate company news proactively and transparently, and nip any problems in the bud. More than addressing problems, however, employee relations is also about being transparent; sharing company objectives, strategic positioning and other internal updates is just as important as communicating bad news.
Listen to what your employees want and foster inspiring messages around your company goals and vision. A domain like BrokenCompanyCulture.Sucks could act as a hub for employees to stay abreast of company news and give feedback as needed.
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The Takeaway
A proper PR strategy is agile, engaging, informative and multifaceted. It rises above the noise and keeps ahead of negative publicity. But not only that, it also attracts new customers and reassures existing ones of your actions and accountability.
Learn more about how .SUCKS can play a crucial role in your PR and brand reputation strategy, or search for a domain that can spread your message.
Photo Credits:Shutterstock / Jacob Lund, Shutterstock / Aaron-Schwartz, Shutterstock / Denis Makarenko
