The Art of Influence: PR's crucial role in Modern Businesses

 

BY MOHAK JAIN

If I were given a task to name the most impossible things to achieve in life, I would have ‘Smooth Sailing in Business’ at the top of the list. It's a never-ending race- just when you think you've crossed all hurdles, you'll find more challenging ones on your path. No matter how much you master in commerce, it is an industry that keeps evolving, always offering lessons to teach us something new. 

What used to be crucial to keep an edge yesterday is way different than what it is today. To describe what is required for modern businesses, the film ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ is the best example- of how Influence and PR can immensely shift business paradigms. Success today is driven by charisma and persuasive skills. The leader’s public image can sometimes be more crucial to the business than the product itself!

In this age of social media, even the smallest actions don’t go unnoticed. A small act of kindness on a weekend by the entrepreneur can change the entire way the public perceives the business. Recently the co-founder and CEO of Zomato, Deepinder Goyal took to the streets to work as a delivery agent along with his wife to understand the challenges of the people tirelessly working to deliver the food to our doorsteps. 

A rather unconventional method which was chosen by him, but one that spoke volumes about the character of the people managing Zomato. Be it a lesson in empathy or a mere PR stunt, the online reactions are a testament to how Deepinder Goyal could successfully utilize the Art of Influence to garner a positive image for Zomato for vocalizing the obstacles in our society.

Running parallel to this gig, Bhavish Aggarwal, founder of Ola Electrics found himself at the center of controversy, in a heated exchange of words online with comedian Kunal Kamra. His nature of speaking his mind out against the wave of criticism for Ola Electrics has doubled down on the already losing customer trust for the product. While PR served as a recipe for success for Zomato, Ola Electric shares surged down by 9% the very next day of Bhavish’s verbal spat on X(formerly Twitter).

"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.”

This quote by Warren Buffet aptly expresses how imperative PR is to a company. Bad Public image runs like a wildfire that tarnishes the Business image, an impression that takes years to repair and reform the goodwill and trust of the people.

Ultimately, PR is about influence—not just in words, but in actions. Businesses must remember that every action counts. As Deepinder Goyal’s delivery stint shows, sometimes the best way to lead is to walk in the shoes of those on the front lines, while Bhavish Aggarwal’s experience serves as a cautionary tale. The Art lies in mastering this delicate balance, where authenticity and empathy create a lasting impact.