Strengthening reputation

"Businesses hoping to penetrate a foreign market quickly realise that the tools that work so well at home are suddenly useless. Foreign markets already have a hundred companies just like yours and you need to make yourself stand out one way or another. Technology is not the way forward; everyone already has the same machinery." (Managing an SME: Yrityskuva ja maine menestystekijöinä, 2001 "Corporate image and reputation as competitive factors")

The business sector is currently experiencing a massive shift. Globalisation is evident everywhere, regardless of the size of the enterprise. Genuine competition puts everyone on the same starting line. As products and services become more and more homogeneous, enterprises struggle to stand out. The demands and expectations of different stakeholder groups are also a more evident presence. Everything is public knowledge and the media have their eye on enterprises 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Nothing is secret, and transparency is vital. The Internet, and the recent development of digital communications in particular, have turned each of us into potential thought leaders, if that is what we want to be. Online communities already have more sway than traditional media. Media advertising is no longer effective, because the number of advertisements has radically increased, the media in general have become fragmented and at the same time the credibility of advertising has weakened. Ultimately, the winners are those who can get their message across and gain the market’s trust. In today’s world, a good reputation is like a licence to conduct business.

Typically, enterprises that have set their sights on strengthening their reputation have done so in order to become the most trusted and esteemed supplier in their industry or to increase their market share in certain markets or product groups. When a business is looking to boost its reputation, it is important to begin the process by analysing the company’s current status and comparing that to the competitors, and to the stakeholders’ views and expectations. If the company’s reputation does not correspond to the management’s goals and views, it is worth sitting down and devising tangible tools for reaching the objectives.

Organisations can employ a number of management, communication and marketing tools to strengthen their reputation. The ultimate goal is to identify the needs and expectations of stakeholder groups. Investing in massive marketing campaigns is pointless if your own staff do not understand what the strategy really means in practice. We at Pohjoisranta specialise in always finding the right tools for strengthening your reputation.

The following are examples of the services that Pohjoisranta offers for strengthening reputation:

  • Senior management consultancy
  • Reputation analyses and surveys
  • Reputation strategies
  • Strategic message formulation
  • Communication plans
  • Implementation of values and strategy
  • Reputation and brand training
  • Media relations management
  • Marketing communications
  • Lobbying
  • Corporate social responsibility programmes
  • Investor relations and financial reporting
  • Digital communications
  • Publications