| Not all publicity is good. Imagine the terrible possibilities | | | | a myriad of publicity disasters before they ever occur. |
| of having attention suddenly drawn to your small | | | | Take that time, do your homework, and make that last |
| company for a bad reason: A rogue employee (did | | | | double check. |
| anyone NOT see the YouTube video of two | | | | Secondly, in any situation, do your best to stay calm. |
| disgruntled Dominoes Pizza employees doing disgusting | | | | No good thing can occur in the heat of emotion. By |
| things to the food they were about to serve?), a | | | | stepping away from the situation to at least |
| contract dispute, a customer claiming to have been | | | | momentarily gather yourself you can consider the |
| grossly harmed-the possibilities are endless for all of | | | | following: How much will this issue matter a day from |
| the ways you would not want to be seen in the press. | | | | now? A month from now? In a year? In 5-10 years? |
| Interestingly, while everyone knows it's critical to react | | | | The issue that carries the headlines today may be |
| wisely in a PR crisis, very few people actually | | | | forgotten tomorrow or next month. Put the problem in |
| construct a plan for what they would do. Hire a Crisis | | | | perspective, and it will be easier to frame a reaction |
| PR firm? | | | | that is appropriate to the situation. |
| If you think about it, by the time a situation requires a | | | | Finally, respond. (Note - it is a very different thing to |
| crisis specialist, the size of the problem is huge and a | | | | react than to respond. A response is a thoughtful and |
| great deal of damage has already occurred. Instead of | | | | deliberate course of action after you have considered |
| relying on the idea that you'd hire a specialist IF, heaven | | | | all of your options and perhaps even gotten other |
| forbid, a crisis occurred, what if you learned to become | | | | great minds involved. A reaction is generally a |
| more PR savvy yourself? Even better, what if you | | | | shoot-from-the-hip instinct and will pretty much |
| learned a few skills that could help prevent a PR crisis | | | | assuredly have pride, anger, retaliation or emotion |
| from happening at all? | | | | involved. It will never be your best course and could |
| Now we're talking. | | | | make a mild PR disaster escalate very quickly into a |
| In actual fact, we deal with PR crises at one level or | | | | much bigger event. |
| another multiple times on practically every day. | | | | Could your response turn the situation into a company |
| Technology malfunctions. Wardrobes malfunction. | | | | win? Quite possibly, yes. For example, an unhappy |
| Employees speak out in front of your customers | | | | customer, properly served and addressed, could |
| when they thought the microphone was dead, or | | | | become your biggest advocate. An on-site disaster |
| thought that no one was listening... and sometimes they | | | | could prompt your business to lead the community in |
| speak out badly even when they realize the | | | | putting stronger requirements or protections against |
| microphone is on. | | | | disaster (sanitation measures, checks and balances on |
| So what can you do? | | | | business procedures, or safety precautions) in place. |
| First of all, realize that you and your business are no | | | | Based on your bad experience, your business could |
| different than anybody else in your exposure to | | | | lead out in becoming an example and a spokesperson |
| problems and potential embarrassment every day. A | | | | for stronger procedures. |
| little bit of preparation - a last rehearsal before you or | | | | In summary, PR disasters, large and small, are |
| an employee makes a presentation to a critical | | | | happening every day. The best secret weapon you |
| customer; a last check in the mirror for broccoli in your | | | | hold is preparation and precaution - and when a |
| teeth or wardrobe issues before you step to the | | | | disaster happens, to realize that for your company's |
| podium; or a last minute double-check of the | | | | reputation, it's all about the way you respond. |
| technology required to run your presentation can solve | | | | |