In today's interconnected world, businesses must navigate a complex landscape of online threats. From malicious hackers and data breaches to reputation attacks and brand impersonation, the digital realm presents unique challenges for organizations of all types and sizes, especially cannabis.
That's why our team was so excited to have a candid conversation with Gayla Huber, President of IntegriShield, a company whose sole purpose is to root out bad actors online that are causing harm to their clients. This happens more often than you might think in the cannabis industry. Brands that work hard to remain compliant and adhere to regulations can sometimes have all of that hard work undermined online without even knowing it.
Our conversation with Gayla traversed all aspects of how her service can benefit companies operating with the strategy of Brand Protection PR™. You can listen to our conversation on the Move the Stairs™ podcast here. Or check out our top three Move the Stairs™ takeaways from our discussion with Gayla below.
Move the Stairs Moment 1: Unauthorized sales hurt your brand and disrupt consumer trust
Have you ever ordered something online that looks legitimate, only for it to arrive and be totally disappointed because the product is not at all what you ordered or a total knockoff? This happens to CBD companies all the time and damages relationships with consumers.
Move the Stairs Moment 2: You can always "bridge" to something positive during negative industry stories
M&C looks at even negative press interviews as an opportunity for our clients. Gayla concurs, offering advice to companies to not shy away from the good that's happening in their industry just because of one bad event. She views this as an opportunity to educate reporters and their audiences.
Move the Stairs Moment 3: Build brand resiliency with thought leadership
Gayla encourages her clients to educate their stakeholders on social media. It's a great way to build brand resiliency and establish yourself as an industry leader. With that thought leadership in hand, it becomes easier to fill the trust bucket and draw on that well in times of crisis.