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A new study by MS&L, conducted in partnership with GfK Roper, examines some of the corporate values consumers find most important today, and the effects of such perceptions on maintaining long-term business, reports Brandweek.
The study polled 6,000 consumers worldwide in the U.S., U.K., France, Italy, Sweden and China on topics such as “what defines a leading company?” and how blogs, the Internet and the media influenced their perception of a company’s values.
While the report covers many aspects that influence a company’s perceived values, one key finding is that more than half (59 percent) of Americans believe they can judge a company’s values by its online presence (versus 45 percent in the U.K.)
Another interesting finding is that while price and quality may be the primary purchase influencers in tough times, in the long run, it’s values that matter the most.
If your online presence is not yet part of your PR plan for 2009 this report should nudge you in that direction. Now is the time to figure out how to make the most of online tools that can keep you close to your customers
“The findings underscore the need for marketers to shift their business focus from being “driven by a coherent set of core values” to one that emphasizes how those “values [can] be communicated effectively at every touch point or companies risk undermining both their relationships with their customers and their long-term success,” said Mark Hass, CEO of MS&L Worldwide.
That places it squarely in the PR arena. And if more than half of them judge you by your online presence, it’s time to make that a PR priority.
The Bulldog/PR University’s Social Media Bootcamp will be taking an in depth look at how to use social tools to enhance your online presence.
