Role of a company’s Founder CEO in driving effective PR

 4th August 2016    Opinion 

Public Relations is quickly becoming the most prominent channel to strengthen a brand’s stature and set the right tone of voice. It is evident, therefore, that the founder or CEO has a significant role to play in the PR activities of the company. Unfortunately, not a lot of founders realize their potential role in driving PR for their brand. Here are a few ways through which you can contribute to the PR activities of your brand as the founder or CEO:

Acting as a spokesperson

As the creator and the highest ranking official of the business, it suffices to say that you are the face of the brand. This fact brings with it a myriad of responsibilities. The founder of the company will be sought after by the media for comments regarding the company’s activities and advancements. So you need to be prepared to interact with the media in a way that is lucrative in terms of brand building. For instance, the media will give prompt and thorough coverage to a product launch if the CEO himself actively participates in its introduction and promotion. This way you succeed in propelling PR, and get yourself earned media which is, for all intents and purposes, always better than paid media. The role of the CEO, in this case, is indispensable to say the least.

Becoming an industry expert

A brand is married to its operating industry as it offers avenues of evolution and progress. If the industry flourishes, it is obvious that the brand flourishes with it. Keeping this fact in mind, the CEO needs to become an expert in the field garnering as much insight into the industry as he does of his company itself. It has to be understood that adding value to the industry will only enhance your brand and help it achieve the goals you have set for it. The completion of this task will open a lot of doors with the media and will take PR to a new and improved level.  

Being the custodian of your brand

Now that you have established your brand, you need to be accountable for it. Whether it is your clients, your investors, your users or the reverential media, you must be a hundred per cent accessible and approachable. In order to gain PR, the term CEO should become synonymous with sociability so that the media feels that it can interact with you when it comes to pivotal information about the business or industry. Entering the fray of the media will only propagate awareness about your brand putting you on the A-List. It’s simple; increased interaction will lead to more attention which will finally grant you further earned media.

Serving as ‘The Chief Reputation Officer’

As a business, there are times when the reputation of your company can be in jeopardy and you might find yourself in a rough spot. At such a crucial time, it is the founder’s responsibility to take up the role of the Chief Reputation Officer who can take control over the situation before it reaches the point of no return. Prompt action and addressing the media with corrective action in times of crisis will add to the goodwill of the company keeping the public’s faith in the company intact.

It is evident that the role of the founder has evolved and is paramount in achieving success on the PR front. Understanding this will add oodles of value to your business in the long run.

So let’s put PR first, shall we?

Swati Bhargava – Co-Founder, CashKaro.com