The BBQ as issues management to help protect reputation

There are many ways in which reputation -threatening issues can be identified. Early identification and strategic action are key to dealing with issues successfully. So having tools in place which make it easy and intuitive for a public relations professional to identify issues are a boon for stakeholder relationship protection and enhancement.

The profoundly important role issues management plays in the strategic communication portfolio can sometimes seems a little out of reach to many PR practitioners. The thoughtful strategic responses required in issues management are generally the domain of those with a few years experience and wisdom under the belt.

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But all PR pros can be involved in the process from the very beginning of their career through being aware of the importance of issues management and its attendant issues identification processes.

Market research

Evidence-based data delivered through market research will always provide the most scientifically reliable means of identifying issues and, very importantly, quantifying how widely spread the issue might be and, perhaps, even its likely impact.

Most research will not be done more than annually (if that), however, so this is a bigger picture, and not so nimble, type approach for most organisations.

Small market research programs and economy of scale

Solid, scientifically credible, evidence-based market research need not be cumbersome.

You can have any number of questions, starting from one, included in an ‘omnibus’ research program that many reputable market research firms regularly carry out. An omnibus survey typically includes questions on a range of topics paid for by a range of organisations:

• The sample can be statistically reliable and the methodology sound
• You can repeatedly ask certain questions over an ongoing period of time at different junctures to help in picking up on issues of relevance to your organisation
• The more questions you ask and the more frequently you do it the greater the economy of scale there will be for your investment

An omnibus approach provides an example of running a small market research program. It can deliver quantitative and/or qualitative research results. There is value in both.

A further option is running surveys/research through your own organisation using a platform like SurveyMonkey:

• It’s best to have some sort of reasonable database you can email the survey to
• It can piggyback on top of any proactive electronic direct mail (e.g. e-newsletter) marketing you may have
• You can generate a pop-up or lightbox each time someone visits your website prompting them to do the survey (probably annoying but loads of research points to the fact they, um, work!).

An incentivisation approach (e.g. a number of prizes) will help generate responses.

Some of the questions you ask can be overtly or subtly designed to pick up on emerging issues salient to you organisation’s reputation. It’s a cheap approach. It won’t be perceived externally as entirely credible or reliable because an organisation is running it itself and the methodology won’t be as excellent as it can get.

But the important outcome is it will greatly help in identifying issues you might want to invest more time, money and care into investigating. In essence, this is a terrific way to run an issues identification campaign more qual than quant in nature which you can take further if you feel the need.

Media monitoring

Would you agree there are three ways you can undertake media monitoring to identify salient issues to your organisation’s reputation?

1. Formal media monitoring which you generally pay through the nose for and constantly wish you didn’t have to make the investment into s the results are consistently inconsistent, don’t pick up on issues you wish it would and you spend an inordinate of time, ultimately, needlessly trawling through the results
2. Informal , free media monitoring through sources like Google Alerts
3. You and your colleagues’ checking media yourselves

We’re in PR so you should obviously be undertaking at least options 2 and 3. Whether you undertake 1 depends on your budget and the nature of your organisation.

Barbeque as issues management tactic

Employees are your number one brand ambassadors. We know that. If they aren’t, there’s the first issue you need to address!

They are also an absolutely invaluable listening tool.

There is this well known cultural event enshrined within the Australian way of life. And in the USA, too, I believe. Maybe Argentina as well. Possibly it’s a meat and men thing. But don’t quote me on that.

It’s called a barbeque. And it works literally and through metaphorical application. I’ll leave that one with you.

This is where people gather in the outdoors and debate the merits and methodologies of cooking/burning meat. Other topics, however, are also discussed. When topics relevant to your organisation are discussed at barbeques, functions or other gatherings, it is your job to make sure you let your colleagues know you want to hear about incipient organisational issues from them.

Have you seen where issues identified by an organisation in their embryonic stages have simply been ignored – what were the results to reputation and stakeholder relationships?

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