How To Apologize Effectively During a Crisis

Understanding to how to apologize effectively during a crisis is an essential part of maintaining a trustworthy brand reputation within PR. When it comes to apologizing too many people still get it wrong - not just public figures but in every day professional and personal scenarios, people do not seem to know how to apologize properly - this is also relevant for business brands. There's sometimes an unwillingness to accept fault or apologies are either poorly worded or worded insensitively. 

 According to the dictionary an apology is "a regretful acknowledgement of an offence or failure" - this is one definition that starts with the acknowledgement of something wrong being done which has caused hurt/pain/offence or upset. Whether it's an individual or a brand that needs to provide an apology it's crucial that there is some form of atonement and the first step towards this is through an effective apology. Not apologising correctly during a PR crisis can cause further damage and lead to a major change of perception of a brand and its team.

A few key points to always remember when apologizing:

• Do not centre yourself in the apology - always centre the people/person/communities who you have hurt/offended.

• Share your corrective actions: what will you do to address the situation, what improvements you will make, how you/your organisation will attempt to ensure further mistakes are not made in the future.

• Be specific - say what it is that you are apologizing for and be clear about this. Do not try to circle around the issue especially as a business; the public needs to know that you know why they have been upset/offended as it shows that you care and are undertaking social listening.

• Be honest - own up to everything surrounding the context of whatever it is that you did and what you are doing now to address/improve.

• Be patient and humble - there's a sense that when you apologize the people or person you are saying sorry to should forgive you immediately but it is not up to you to put a timeline on their forgiveness. They may never forget what you have done and it may take time for them to forgive you but you cannot dictate if and when they should forgive you.

How to apologize

Gems in Comms Podcast with Ronke Lawal

‘Gems in Comms’ is a new podcast series launched by Hanson Search in association with 9to5workrebels, exploring working experiences of Black, Asian, and Ethnic Minority talent in the UK Public Relations and Communications industry. In 2023 Ronke Lawal was invited to speak on the podcast episode by its host Ebony Gayle.

It was a robust and dynamic conversation in which they spoke about being Black women in public relations and what the industry needs to do to become more accessible and inclusive for all.

How Brands and Influencers Can Work Together on Influencer Campaigns

I have had the good fortune to work with a variety of consumer brands, particularly during their early stages and enjoy working with micro businesses and start ups who are developing their brand offering and aim to scale or at least grow their customer base. One of the key tactics that many consumer brands want to undertake when reaching their consumer base is influencer marketing, something that more and more PR agencies undertake as part of an integrated approach to strategic Public Relations. Brands can work with influencers through sponsored posts, paid content and gifting campaigns but the scope of influencer marketing requires a good understanding of intention, expectation, communication and of course measurement.

Some of key issues that come up time and time again when undertaking influencer marketing are:

• Knowing how much to pay influencers

• Understanding what influencers do and also understanding the perception of influencers

• Managing expectations on both the brand side and influencer side

• Knowing the difference between gifted reviews and paid content and the regulations that surround this

Offering influencers or content creators gifts is a relatively inexpensive way to commence the influencer marketing process with a potentially wide reach. This is not to say that it's cheap or does not come with risks but if a small start up brand sets aside 30 items to send to 30 quality nano or micro influencers it will in the short to medium term be less expensive than perhaps paying 2-3 large influencers for a sponsored ad. This is all relative and depends on a number of factors but hopefully you can understand that this is a base point. One of the key factors is follower size but this should always be taken in consideration alongside engagement (comments and likes) as followers can be purchased (which is unethical).

• Nano-influencers: 2.5k– 10k followers.

• Micro-influencers: 10k – 50k followers.

• Mid-tier influencers: 50,000 – 250k followers.

• Macro-influencers: 250k– 1,000,000 followers.

• Mega-influencers: 1,000,000+ followers.

When working on a gifting campaign, brands have to understand that influencers are under no obligation to post content about the gifts they received but they should ensure that expectations are clear before accepting gifts. I would always ask a content creator or influencer if they are working on any gifted item content or reviews - influencers can exist across multiple platforms; youtube, instagram and their own blogging platforms. Large brands with big budgets can afford to send gifts (without necessarily expecting any kind of content or even a mention on social media) because it builds a relationship with the influencers who they know they'll eventually want to work with on paid campaigns (this is in simple terms). For a large brand which would have a strategy in place for influencer relations, sending gifts without being tied to content requests or reviews is a good way to maintain a relationship and it is also a good way to test the water with new influencers or content creators with whom they are only just establishing a relationship with. 

For the most part small/micro/growing brands with minimal budgets send gifts with the hope that influencers/content creators will share content about the items with their audience. This is because even a small brand is likely to feel the cost of sending an item more than a big brand for obvious reasons (this is not to say that they should not have already factored that cost into their business plans already).

Communication is essential - before sending a gift as part of a gifting campaign always ask if a content creator is working on any gifted content. Sometimes they are happy to review items on their platforms because it means they have more content to work on in their own time, sometimes they do not have capacity or cannot guarantee that they can post anything so brands have to respect the response (assuming they get a response and that the response is a respectful one).

Brands should set out expectations and remember that a gifted review is EDITORIAL not ADVERTORIAL so there are no guarantees of even positive messaging.  If you want certainty and guaranteed content based on your specific guidelines then look at carving up a budget for paid for content and ask for rates card. Allowing influencers or content creators the space to review items honestly though does allow for more authentic content so that is something to take into consideration.

Also as soon as a brand has any input or control over the content creation process EVEN if the item in the content is a gift/freebie the content will be considered an advert based on ASA regulations. A message to influencers:  if you receive a message from a brand you have a choice so you can determine whether you have capacity to undertake a gifted review (remember this gives you more creative freedom than an #AD). But maintain good relations & communication - there's no need to simply ignore an email or respond rudely to a brand offering to send a gifted item. As long at the brand understands your terms and sets out their expectations then you should be able to communicate effectively as opposed to burning bridges.

Another important thing to take into consideration is what happens when influencers or content creators contact you outside of a set campaign to review a product and receive a freebie. In this instance the expectations of the brand would obviously be that the influencer/content creator would create content in exchange for the gifted item - if however an influencer contacts a brand for items to create content with, receives them in full but doesn't do anything with them tensions can arise (read my piece on why people don't like influencers).

This post is a starting point for both small/micro consumer brands and for influencers. In summary I would say that it is important to think long term and be strategic. Influencer marketing is exciting, effective and creative and it can offer great returns but there has to be clear communication and understanding from all parties to make it work. But when it works, it can work very well.

This piece was originally shared on www.ronkelawal.com

Why Building Your Personal Brand is Important

There is so much power in building and maintaining a strong personal brand in business and even in the professional careers world. So many business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals want to raise their corporate visibility and business credibility but lack direction or even confidence in doing so.

Personal branding allows you to stand out in a crowd and stand firm in your own authenticity but it also allows you to understand the spaces that you are navigating in; empowering you with a greater understanding of how to navigate them successful.

The key to effective personal branding is reputation. What do you want to be known for? What is your reputation among your peers and to your target audience? If you struggle to answer these questions then this video offers some insight into building your personal brand and why it is important in helping you stand out from the crowd.

Building a personal brand involves being intentional about how you present yourself and consistently aligning your actions and values with that presentation. It requires identifying your strengths, values, and passions, and showcasing them in a way that resonates with your target audience or desired industry. Your personal brand should reflect your authenticity and what makes you unique, while also being relevant and appealing to those you aim to connect with.

Developing a personal brand involves activities such as defining your personal mission statement, creating a strong online presence through social media and professional platforms, sharing valuable content, networking, and consistently delivering high-quality work. By actively managing and nurturing your personal brand, you can shape how others perceive you and create opportunities for personal and professional growth. 

Ariatu PR founder, Ronke Lawal, conducts Personal Brand strategy sessions which are ideal for business owners, entrepreneurs or professionals who want to raise their visibility and business credibility. Each session covers:

• The Power of A Personal brand - how having a strong personal brand can open up new opportunities in your business or career journey.

• Using PR to enhance your profile - Using public relations strategies to enhance your public profile.

• Identifying your values & Knowing your purpose - Understanding what your brand is and how you can maintain your integrity and authenticity.

• Social Media strategy - How to use social media platforms to raise your visibility.

• Public Speaking Tips - Advice and guidance on becoming a more confident public speaker.

• Measuring Success - Assessing Long term goals and celebrating success.

Choosing A PR Agency

Ariatu PR founder Ronke Lawal had the opportunity to speak with Alex Holliman, MD of Climbing Trees about what clients should be looking for when choosing a PR agency to work with. It is an insightful and pragmatic conversation worth listening to