Reactive Strategies for Streagic Public Relations

Reactive strategy

A reactive strategy is done to maintain the company’s reputation, opinion, and general communications as it interacts with outside forces. This is used for situations a company may come across where accusations are being made that harm the character of the company. Public relations practitioners will use reactive strategies to build a persuasive account and remedy the situation. Apologizing is one reactive strategy and apologia is one that explains the company of the situation. Keith Michael Hearit’s theory is explained in the textbook Strategic Planning for Public Relations He explains a “threefold approach for persuasive accounts”. The first is an “explanation, and if necessary, a defense”. The second is a “statement of regret”. The last part is “disassociation tactics to separate the organization from the problem”. All of the steps taken will help to generate the most successful possible outcome.

Pre-emptive action

Pre-emptive action is a defensive move to make a change before initial criticism begins. This tactic leans into the rhetorical concept, of prolepsis. The textbook defines the concept as, “a figure of speech in which speakers raise objections to their arguments so they can refute the opposing viewpoint”. It helps to contain the situation because it acknowledges and addresses it before people form their opinions. People first will hear the company’s opinion to input into their own. This form of action should be used when the public is bound to hear of distaining information especially if it is newsworthy.

Offensive response

Offensive responses are only needed when your organization knows they are right. If they are in the wrong and they attempt this slightly more aggressive approach it can land them in hot water. The five types of offensive responses are attack, embarrassment, shock, threat, and doubling down. An attacking opening shares a strong opposing opinion to criticism that has arisen. Embarrassment can either be accepting the situation as such or placing the wrongful indication of ignorance on the critics. Shock is a favorite strategy for the PETA organization. One example told on ZME Science was when a warning was going around that the organization was kidnapping and merickilling people’s pets. Their response was simply that they don’t believe animals should be pets. This did not bode well but that was their response and it has shaped their reputation accordingly as an organization. Threatening is a strategy to encourage certain opinions not to appear again. Doubling down is knowing when to hold onto an opposing opinion and not swaying with criticism. Domino’s Pizza did this in 2009 as EY, made note of the CEO’s openness of the issues and changes it was implementing and held its footing in their criticism.

All of these are reactive strategies that are needed for proper communication with publics. Although they ensure further communication it is vital to use the right strategy else you may face different results.