The field of public relations is replete with commonly repeated sayings, ranging from those that should definitely be left in the past (“all press is good press”) to those that still hold true today (“image is everything”).
All brands live and die by the reputations that they build, but those reputations are especially important in industries built around consumables. They are doubly important in sectors that already struggle with public image issues. Cannabis falls squarely into both of those categories; people rely on cannabis products for everything from recreation to medication, and though slightly more than half of Americans think cannabis should be legal for both medical and adult use, the industry still faces significant regulatory roadblocks.
Maintaining a good reputation in the cannabis industry is of the utmost importance — and more challenging than it might seem. You must consider the problem from multiple angles and take multiple approaches to form a comprehensive strategy. In short, you need public relations!
NisonCo has been helping cannabis brands build iconic, trustworthy reputations for nearly 15 years. In this blog, we’re sharing a (non-exhaustive) list of things to consider as you manage your reputation.
Ideating a Cannabis Brand Image
Brand image strategy is important. First and foremost, you need to decide what type of reputation you want to build. Obviously, all companies want to create a strong brand image that people trust. However, it’s more nuanced than that.
For example, do you want to be a brand for the people with an up-to-the-moment social strategy, natural customer interaction, and seamless integration into consumers’ lives in a way that feels more like a trusted friend than a company? Or do you want to create a consummately professional brand that builds trust through thought leadership and a flawlessly polished persona? Any approach to reputation building you choose will require a different strategy and a different set of techniques.
A media marketing agency can help you determine what brand persona and reputation strategy best complement your products and services, but ultimately, it should feel natural.
Creating Your Brand Footprint and Reputation in the Cannabis Space
Formulating an ideal brand persona and the accompanying reputation is only the first step. You can’t simply announce yourself with a picture-perfect website and leave it at that; reputation building and reputation management both take consistent, active effort.
The branding strategies you choose for putting your brand identity into action and managing the reputation you create will be uniquely shaped by your brand identity. We recommend a healthy mixture of content, thought leadership, and press coverage. The most important thing to remember is that each piece of your strategy must match your brand perfectly to work toward building a solid reputation.
The best way to ensure successful PR campaigns that manage your reputation is to work with an agency that offers content and PR services.
Building a trusted cannabis brand requires more than great products—it demands strategic reputation management. Let our experts help you create the comprehensive approach your brand needs to thrive.
Publicizing Your Hard Work with Cannabis PR, SEO, and More
The cannabis industry is long past the stage of “if you build it, they will come.” Most mature markets are seeing oversaturation and extreme competition; look to Vermont, New Mexico, Oregon, and Massachusetts, just to name a few. Building and managing an excellent reputation is more important than ever, and publicizing that reputation is key, too.
Some strategies we mentioned earlier, like press releases, will help you begin to spread the word about your business and can help to create a solid reputation. However, for true success, you absolutely need to integrate internet marketing strategies like search engine optimization (SEO) and generative engine optimization (GEO).
Again, the best way to ensure your strategy remains consistent is by working with an agency that combines all the services we’ve mentioned so far. Bundling your content creation, PR, and SEO services can streamline communication immeasurably, too — no more emailing your PR agency to tell them what your SEO agency told you about the piece your content agency created. We’ll handle it all for you!
Cannabis Crisis Management Plays a Critical Role in Reputation Management
Nobody likes to think about it, but the fact is that the best time to plan for crisis communications is before you need them.
Mistakes happen; there’s no way around it. However, the way your brand responds to a public relations crisis can make or break your reputation. Botch your response and you’ll have to rebuild your reputation from scratch — and do a lot of repair work along the way. Knock it out of the park with a sensitive, appropriate approach supported by a strong crisis communication plan, however, and you will boost your company’s reputation by showing consumers they can rely on your brand even in the worst of times.
One final word about working with a PR agency: even if you choose to DIY the rest of your approach, crisis communications is best left to the experts. Given how delicate the situations can be, how quickly you need to respond, and the fact that your reputation is at stake, this is definitely an aspect of PR you will want to trust to an agency with experience.
Work With a Cannabis PR Agency for Cannabis Reputation Management
Cannabis reputation management involves countless moving parts, but it’s manageable, especially with the help of a cannabis marketing agency with years of experience doing just that. When you’re ready to take your company’s reputation to the next level and ensure customer loyalty and future success, contact us to set up a free discovery call.
