| id #CCCCCC; background-color: #ffffff;" /> | | | | Another strategy that should be learnt is to know |
| Many times, companies face problems that may | | | | when you should comment and when you should |
| threaten their reputation if not dealt with correctly. Such | | | | avoid any statement. Though this sounds simple, it |
| situations are declared as a ‘PR crisis’ | | | | isn’t. Many times PR professionals say |
| and must be handled by professionals so as to assure | | | | “no comment” when a small comment |
| minimum damage. A few companies that have faced | | | | could have worked in their favor. In some tricky |
| major PR crises in the recent past are Pepsi | | | | situations, avoiding a comment can make you appear |
| Corporation, Johnson & Johnson and Firestone. | | | | guilty even more. The sole purpose of crisis |
| At the time of a PR crisis, the involved company | | | | management PR is not to defend oneself, but to |
| attracts a lot of negative attention from consumer | | | | appear concerned and likeable. |
| organizations, shareholders, investigation agencies, | | | | Skills to understand people in a better way, along with |
| government bodies, media professionals, consumers | | | | their tone and body language, can be an added |
| and other related parties. So, it is important that the | | | | advantage if you are a PR professional, and get the |
| organization handles the situation subtly. | | | | best possible reaction in a precarious situation. |
| A proficient PR crisis management professional must | | | | There are many reasons why PR crisis management |
| be well-acquainted with a few noteworthy techniques | | | | is essential for a company. Even though a company |
| that can work to their benefit in such detrimental | | | | may be doing everything right, sometimes rumors can |
| situations. The foremost technique is that PR | | | | be devastating to company’s reputation - even |
| professionals should have the capability to get their | | | | when the rumors prove later to be wrong. PR |
| point across, while at the same time they should not | | | | professionals at such times ensure that their |
| sound very defensive. | | | | client’s perspective is also heard. |
| It would also be a good move to speak to a reporter, | | | | For instance, if a big hotel has been accused of selling |
| if the professional is confident that he can present his | | | | alcohol to minors, even though this is only a rumor and |
| case logically. This is because the job of the media | | | | the hotel is proven later to be innocent, the hatred of a |
| may be to express both sides of an argument, but a | | | | handful of people still continues to affect the |
| reporter can influence the whole situation positively or | | | | hotel’s reputation. PR professionals make sure |
| negatively according to their perception of the situation. | | | | that no such thing happens, and that a small rumor will |
| It can be useful to look for someone who seems | | | | not grow into a widespread problem in future. At times, |
| sympathetic. PR crisis management depends a lot on | | | | it is possible that the company is actually guilty of |
| how you control the representation of your side of the | | | | something that has created havoc amongst the |
| argument in the media. | | | | population. |