Firm Shui (A Fancy Way We Say "Blog")
In the heart of a global crisis, it is understandable – from a personal and professional perspective – to feel uncertain.
How will a crisis affect me? How will my company be operating one week from today… or three months from now? What messages should we be making public and how should we be doing it?
Numerous questions and thoughts are bound to be swirling. But, amid a hectic and uncertain landscape, composure and precision are absolutely vital.
Here are five public relations tips to help you navigate the worst crises:
1) Stay tuned in. By very definition a crisis is, “an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending.” News is being released and things are developing hour by hour. As anyone will need a break from the constant influx of media and information, now is not the time to disconnect. You must find a way to keep a rhythm and stay connected to the news that matters.
2) Ensure your latest thoughts are current. In other words, don’t respond to comments that took place yesterday through yesterday’s lens. Make sure all your ducks are in a row and you have all the most current information before you form a response. It may feel like a comment is immediately necessary, but never respond out of haste or panic. A figure or nugget of information widely used a week ago may be considered ancient in a fast-moving scenario.
3) Have a plan and be ready to use it. What is the crisis? What needs to get done? And, how have you already prepared? It is imperative to have a crisis communications plan and, in the heart of a crisis, hopefully you have one. It is also imperative that it be adaptable. The situation at hand may not have been something the business fully anticipated planning for, but the idea is to have a way of doing things in place. If you’re finding yourself in a bind and building something from scratch, be prepared to adjust your game plan as they pertain to the latest internal and external updates.
4) Read the room. Especially when it comes to social media, or any content being broadcasted across digital mediums, understand your audience(s). A world emergency is not the time to be over promotional. A primary question a company can be answering across their platforms is: How can we be of public service and provide genuine value to our clients and/or audience(s)?
5) Turn to the pros. While it is essential to have a crisis plan and internal folks that can help manage it, it’s okay to ask for help. Internal and external experts may have varying strategies when it comes to managing a crisis and, given the nature of the crisis you are managing, a second opinion may be vital to your operations.
Whether you’re in the heart of a crisis or wanting to plan for the next one, the team at The Firm Public Relations & Marketing is ready to roll on your behalf. To discuss our award-winning crisis capabilities, contact The Firm today at 702-739-9933 or newbusiness@thefirmpr.com.
