SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
Inevitably, every company, no matter
the size, will face a public relations crisis
of some kind. With today’s 24/7 news cy-
cle and the ubiquity of social media, news
can go viral almost instantly. The public
relations industry has had to dramatically
evolve in recent years as a result, but the
upside is that social media has presented
an opportunity for organizations to engage
directly with their customers and stake-
holders. Therefore, how a company choos-
es to respond in a crisis — or otherwise
— is ultimately the difference between a
much-needed image boost or a damaged
brand and isolated customers.
“Crises have existed as long as civi-
lization itself,” says Dennis Revell, presi-
dent and CEO of Sacramento-based Revell
Communications. “Thirty years ago, an or-
ganization had time to assess the situation,
to react and time to repair. Now, because
of social media, we operate in an age of in-
stant crisis. Social media not only fuels the
fire and increases negative conversations
across a multitude of platforms, it also in
many cases can generate or feed tradition-
al media interests.”
In this highly connected digital envi-
ronment, organizations need to be pre-
pared to quickly and efficiently respond to
the inevitable. This may sound like a daunt-
ing task, but by establishing internal proto-
cols, identifying steps to take during a crisis
and tactics to implement post-crisis, your
organization will be better equipped to
weather the storm. To prepare accordingly,
here are recommendations from some of
Sacramento’s leading public relations pro-
fessionals.
HOW TO PREPARE
Jeff Randle, president and CEO of Randle
Communications, believes the best orga-
nizations do two things. “First, they build
a culture that minimizes the risk associat-
ed with personal misconduct, and second,
they invest to create a comprehensive
business continuity plan that prescribes
structure, roles, messaging, communica-
tions channels and protocols to address
any crisis scenario.”
Equally as important is identifying
trained spokespeople. Scott Rose, princi-
pal and director of public affairs for RSE,
says, “Everyone in the organization should
understand, regardless of the situation,
that all media inquiries are directed to
spokespeople. Additionally, developing
protocols in the event of a crisis and identi-
fying the crisis team and the way in which
they can quickly assemble, if need be, is
critical.”
Benjamin Franklin has been famously
attributed as saying, “By failing to prepare,
you are preparing to fail.” Echoing this sen-
timent, and speaking to the importance
of revisiting your crisis communications
and response plan annually is Kassy Per-
ry, president and CEO of Perry Commu-
nications Group. “Organizations need to
conduct regular trainings to ensure that all
employees know what to do, where to go
and what to say in a crisis.”
RECOMMENDED TRAININGS AND
PROTOCOLS
Organizations that make crisis commu-
nications a priority — like proactive mar-
keting — will ultimately have sound proto-
cols in place. To that end, Randle stresses
that organizational discipline is critical in
a crisis. “Smart business continuity plans
include internal protocols that inform all
employees about how to address a crisis
situation,” he says. “From there, anticipat-
ed scenario trainings across a spectrum of
industry-specific issues are invaluable to
pressure test the plan and the team to en-
sure the program will work when the crisis
is real.”
Advancements in technology have
shifted how news is both disseminated and
consumed. Because of this, Revell believes
that success is ultimately determined by
both preparation and practice. “It’s im-
portant to be the first and best source of
the news regarding your crisis and to plan
for who does what and when,” Revell says.
“You also must be quick in your approach
when it comes to both traditional and social
media.”
“SMART BUSINESS
CONTINUITY PLANS INCLUDE
INTERNAL PROTOCOLS THAT
INFORM ALL EMPLOYEES
ABOUT HOW TO ADDRESS A
CRISIS SITUATION.”
-Jeff Randle, president and CEO, Randle
Communications
March 2019 | comstocksmag.com
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