You’re probably familiar with the phrase, “public relations nightmare.” They happen, and not necessarily to just “evil, corporate empires.” A mistake, big or small, can befall any business, big or small. Bad things happen to good companies. Organizations that can usually be counted on to do the right thing can slip up. To err is human, to forgive isn’t the market’s first reaction. Your company’s response should adequately address the issue. If it’s a minor thing, don’t blow it out of proportion. If it’s a big deal, don’t downplay it. Odds are your business won’t ever find itself between a rock and a hard place. But, stuff happens, and how you react will determine how you rebound. Let’s look at some things you can do.
The Spokesperson Sets the Tone
Let’s start with a spokesperson. You might engage a PR firm who can provide help with that. At minimum, designate an employee that can speak on the company’s behalf. The owner of the company, or company president, shouldn’t take the role of spokesperson. Not at first. It’s better — especially in the beginning — to address an issue from further down the chain of command. If you start at the top, there’s no higher authority to move up to. Think of it on a national scale. If there’s a problem in the country and the White House sends a deputy press secretary to the podium, that gives the public a particular perspective. If the press secretary is involved, the issue is magnified. If the president goes up there, it’s suddenly a major thing. A spokesperson’s presence tells the public, “This is important enough for us to address, but not necessarily worrisome.” You bring in the big guns down the road, if need be, not in the beginning. Companies should take a similar approach if they can. Let the choice of a spokesperson set the tone.
Make Friends in the Media
Public Relations is always easier when you’ve been proactive. Whether or not you hire a PR Firm, or have your own people, it’s important to develop a relationship with the local media. Get to know reporters that report on your industry. You should also have a protocol in place to handle any issues on social media. It’s a good way to get the word out, depending on the circumstances.
Take Control of the Story
If there’s a problem, get out ahead of the story. That allows you to control the narrative, at least for a while. Be honest. If there’s something you don’t know yet, admit it. There’s a natural inclination to “spin” the story into a more favorable direction. That’s expected and accepted, if you don’t prevaricate. Spinning is something of an art form. It’s shining the best possible light on the problem. An example might be, a football coach saying after a loss, “We held our opponent to less than 200 yards in total offense, no other team has done that.” You can emphasize whatever positives you can find, but outright lies will have your message spinning out of control. Your credibility will be shot.
Good PR is often an overlooked aspect of marketing. If you have questions, give us a call. If your firm ever finds itself without a floatation device, we can toss you a PR lifesaver.