How to communicate now: Orchard’s guide to financial services PR in 2021 was released in May and provides a practical guide for communications professionals seeking to use social, digital and PR channels effectively.
The guide combines intelligence gained at various industry events throughout the first half of 2021 with Orchard’s communications expertise to outline the three key themes we think are going to shape financial services PR in 2021. Here’s a short introduction to each:
1: Embrace ESG
It’s highly likely that your business is already discussing how it measures its environmental, social and governance factors, and how it’s going to have to report on them. If you’re not already having these discussions at board level, you need to be.
According to Vuelio, 19% of organisations surveyed in April 2021 designate leading their ESG initiatives to comms or PR professionals – presenting an enormous opportunity for our profession to support and lead on ESG.
For many in the financial services space, the time has come to move beyond discussing ESG and sustainability and to start acting on it. If you’re doing something meaningful, whether in-house or on behalf of clients, it’s time to start telling your stakeholders about it. We’ve reached a point where amplification of your sustainability credentials is going to win you business.
2. Be confident
Tony Langham, chief executive of Lansons, recently outlined three revolutions he wants to see in financial communications. The most important of these he labels ‘reputation management’.
We agree that it’s time to shift mindsets in financial communications and to move away from the traditional, conservative approach of risk mitigation. Instead, it’s time to be bold and embrace reputation management. This is a more expansive strategy that acknowledges that sometimes being bold and creative are absolutely essential to building a stellar reputation in financial services.
3. Start educating
Educating audiences builds trust in your brand; if people understand your values, why you are an expert, and the difference you’re making to their daily lives then they will value you more, respect your brand and burnish your reputation.
With a more engaged, and much wider, audience than ever before, as well as more ways to reach them, now is the time to set out a clear communications strategy and begin to educate.
These are the top themes for financial services PR in 2021, for a full copy of How to communicate now: Orchard’s guide to financial services PR in 2021 email Dan: [email protected]