What goes around, comes around in the world of business
Leo Burnett was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, and for good reason. In a time when advertising meant putting out copy-heavy ads in which consumers had to have a vested interest to actually read, Burnett pioneered the use of simple, easily recognizable icons like the Jolly Green Giant and Tony the Tiger to drive sales.
His legendary company, The Leo Burnett Company, which has enjoyed success since its start in the midst of the Great Depression, is also famous for its unbelievably high employee retention, no small feat in the competitive advertising world. It stands to reason, then, that Mr. Burnett would know a bit about what’s best for business, so let’s get into today’s Crisis Management Quotable!
“What helps people, helps business.” — Leo Burnett
Although this quote is decades old, it’s only recently that this idea has been embraced in fields from retail, to marketing, to PR and crisis management. Today, if you want to build goodwill with stakeholders, the first thing most experts will recommend is that you get out there and start interacting. If you install pools, maybe you’ll create a blog with tips on pool cleaning and maintenance. If you’re a doctor’s office, maybe you’ll support health fairs at local schools.
Don’t forget that employees are valuable stakeholders too – the easier you’re able to make their lives, the more they’ll have to give when they’re in the workplace!
The whole idea behind this is that when you do something useful, or make people happy, you get a little piece of goodwill in your back pocket.
What does this mean to crisis management? Well, as you may have noticed if you follow the conversations that invariably sprout when a social media crisis hits, those bits of goodwill can come together to form a cushion that softens the blow of negative publicity.
Look at it this way – if a coworker was kind to everyone around them, brought donuts every day, and always volunteered to help the new guy, would you instantly believe it when someone walked up and told you they flew off the handle and started screaming at an intern? Of course not! You would have that cushion of goodwill telling you that’s not what they’re about, and it works exactly the same way with business.
When you do encounter a crisis, and the vocal critics that often accompany them, those who you have helped will come forward to act as brand advocates, combating the negative sentiment being expressed by others, often without one bit of encouragement from you.
It really comes back to another quote, one we all learn on the playground and (in the case of many) quickly forget, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Treat people well, and you will be treated well in return. Treat them like garbage, and, well, what does that leave you with?
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com