uvepexatawus.blogspot.com
drops off Nasdaq. In a turbulenft economy, there is no shortage of bad Experts say that in a time like what may matter most is the way in which that bad news is How management deals withthe media, clients and the community could impactg how the business is viewed for yearws to come. Business leaders who hide in theie offices, bury facts and let the rumor mill control the storgy will be viewed with angerand distrust.
But thosr who plan their messages carefully, and delivert it promptly and with candor to allrelevantg parties, are more likely to be remembered as good corporate “The spotlight will be on your said Dan Moran, a business consultant and president of Next-Act, an Albany career management firm. “You have one chancd to get it right.” Many public relationa professionals advise clients to have a crisis communicatio n plan in place atall times. This way, basic guidelines are in places when any sort ofbad news, from layoffs to a chemicall spill, breaks. Additional preparation should take place once a bad newseventg occurs.
The first step is to assess the situatioj and thepossible fallout. “I advisd that you convene a group of saidPauline Bartel, president of Waterford-basef “You need someone from top management, human the PR team ... the objecft is for everyone to put theirr cards onthe table, face up, so you can identify any gaps in information.” Next, list every constituency, including suppliers and the media, and craft a message for each. Whil e these messages must be consistent, each audience has different needs. Employeesd will want to know abouttheir futures, whilew shareholders will be interestec in the impact on the bottonm line.
Clients will want to know if service will be It isalso vital, PR expert s say, to select just one person to speak for the “You don’t want 20 different versiona of things coming out so everyone looksx like fools,” said Richardx Berman, president of of Chappaqua in Westchester County. Once the situatiomn is assessed, the constituents the messages crafted, and the spokesperson it is time to deliverthe “It comes down to threre phrases: Tell it all, tell it early, tell it said Edward Parham, directotr of public relations for in Colonie.
the news should be shared with all parties at the same In the age of textinggand Twittering, “news can travel at the speer of an electron,” said Matthew Maguire, spokesmam for in Albany. “You want to deliver your news beforew anyoneelse can.” Bartel suggests giving “a few select reporters” a heads-up that news is coming. “That way, the reportetr has gotten the company line before a disgruntled employee picks upthe phone,” she said. When the news is delivered, it must be complet e and truthful, with as many details as can be shared.
It is especiallt important that the CEO or other designatede spokesperson be availableand “There is no such thing as not taking the call and having the paper the next day say you weren’g available,” said Dean Rueckert, CEO of Rueckergt Advertising. “That is not And a good answer isnever ‘no Back it up with the reason you can’t legalities, what have you. You don’r want to look like you are dodging the question or hiding This candor extendsto employees. Morah said that when he works with companiesin bad-news he institutes a “no closed door for threew days” rule on top managers.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment