Today is Day 1 of my personal training program at Fitness Together Fort Myers and so far, I see many parallels between their personalized, one-on-one attention and an effective public relations plan that focuses on achieving client’s goals and objectives.
Those of us in the field of public relations are trained from early on about the importance of creating a thorough, specific crisis communication plan. In most cases we file it away, secure in the fact that it’s there if we need it. For me, that was yesterday. The beauty of a well thought out crisis communication plan? It actually works.
Leaving out names to protect the innocent, no sooner had I completed a crisis plan for a new client than a crisis occurred: a key employee walked off the job without notice. She was the only full time person licensed to manage one of the major functions of this organization and without a replacement, the regulatory agencies warned they would shut down the business within the next two days. To complicate matters, this same employee called the media about the impending shut down and two TV stations got right on it. We had five hours to get control of the situation until the 6 p.m. news. What to do? Refer to our newly minted, trusty crisis plan, of course.
Within two hours, we appointed a spokesperson, drafted a statement for the media, coached the client, contacted the media with a response and set a time with the reporters for an update. The result? While the news stories ran as scheduled, the facts were presented fairly and the points we made in the statement were mentioned right up front. The positive, timely communication with the media allowed the story to be reported accurately with little drama and minimal impact.
Here were the lessons learned:
1. By planning calmly and rationally in advance, we were prepared for the worst.
2. We had an immediate plan to put into action – no time was wasted.
3. Because we were so calm and organized, the client was too – and that made a huge difference in the outcome.
I highly recommend preparing a thorough crisis communication plan for your client’s or organization’s peace of mind – and yours as well! To learn more, visit my website.
I’ve written before about the exciting, interesting people I meet on a daily basis — one of my favorite aspects of my career in public relations. A great example is my friend and client Randy “RJ” Vann, a Southwest Florida business man and an avid horseman. So what do a drive for solar technology and a passion Paso Fino horses have in common? RJ shows us… Read the rest of this entry »
One of the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of working on the agency side of public relations is the diversity of businesses you can explore and share with the world. Read the rest of this entry »
Finishing touches for Norris Home Furnishings in Fort Myers, FL opening next week — a family-owned, local furniture showroom focusing on quality and value. Read the rest of this entry »
So 2010 is fast approaching and instead of listing resolutions, it seems like a good time to reflect on the past year and to decide how to build on those lessons learned. Read the rest of this entry »
Working with my friend and client Barb Garfold of Lahaina Island Accommodations (www.beachtime.us) has helped me focus on the “art of public relations.” With the debut of a permanent display of works by renowned fine art photographer Alan S. Maltz (www.alanmaltz.com) she is incorporating 5 important ways that public relations can help her business. Read the rest of this entry »
