We are very excited to continue our public relations and crisis communications expert interview series with Andrew Frank, Founder and President of KARV Communications.  Andrew brings a wealth of experience in a number of areas, including crisis communications, public affairs, and media skills. An expert in creating communications strategies, Andrew has 25 years of experience overseeing and implementing crisis preparation; managing product recalls; financial and/or regulatory issues; and identifying and managing communications issues around complicated litigation.

Prior to founding KARV Communications, Andrew served for 15 years in various positions at Strategy XXI Partners and Kreab Gavin Anderson, including Managing Partner. From 1992-1997 he was a political appointee in the Clinton Administration, including Managing Director of the United States Information Agency’s New York Foreign Press Center, and Senior Advisor for Communications to the Director of U.S.I.A beginning in January 1993.

Andrew was the White House communications representative for coordination of media during the 1994 GATT signing in Morocco; Deputy Spokesman for the US Delegation to the United Nations World Conference on Human Rights; National Security Council media representative in Haiti; worked on more than two dozen overseas trips of the President and Vice President, including APEC and G-7 Summit Meetings; and worked with more than a dozen federal agencies and cabinet officials.

Andrew was a founder of Volunteers for Democracy and worked in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Russia and Ukraine during their transitions to democracy, from 1989-1991. He has written articles for several American and foreign newspapers, is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and is a Board Member of the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce in New York.

Andrew graduated from The George Washington University in Washington D.C., and studied at Syracuse University’s London Centre. He is a former Adjunct Professor of Crisis Communications at Fordham University Graduate School of Business, and has been a guest lecturer at Columbia University, American University and others. Andrew lives in New York City with his wife and two daughters.

What is reputation management? How does it relate to public relations?

Everyone, whether a public or non-public figure, has a reputation. Naturally, we all want to make sure that it remains protected. Companies are no different. Public relations and reputation management need to be completely intertwined for those in the “public” arena. Particularly in today’s world of instant connection and content amplification through social media, one misstep in public communications (or even private communications that become public) can cause reputational damage that can take significant time and effort to recover from. Practitioners of PR need to understand that everything they do should be geared to reputation management.

What are the biggest PR mistakes you see companies make online? How could these mistakes have been avoided?

There are many. Companies often fail to take full advantage of press releases–a classic tool in public relations–that could be optimized with the correct headline; they also post things on various social media channels that are not aligned with each other or with other public-facing materials. It is critical that a company’s messaging be intentional and consistent across the board.

How does social media factor into your reputation management strategy?

As discussed above, it has to be consistent and in sync with all other messaging being communicated from the company. Depending on the client, we have used social media as a central element of a reputation management strategy or just on a targeted basis. When used correctly, social media can offer businesses opportunities to communicate quickly and directly with audiences who might otherwise be hard to reach.

What is the first thing a company should do when there is a crisis online? (Is the question – what is the first thing a company should do online when there is a crisis?)

A crisis “online” can be the first early warning sign of a full-blown crisis that may impact other areas of the business – for example, we have seen instances where a customer complaining on social media about a product mishap has eventually turned into a class-action lawsuit against the company or a product recall situation. Companies should have clear and concise procedures in place for monitoring issues online and escalating them as appropriate. Of course, the specific response always depends on the crisis, but when a problem arises, companies should quickly reassure employees that there is a team in place to deal with the crisis, and then articulate consistent messaging externally.

What can employees do to help their company during and after a PR crisis?

Employees can be a company’s biggest advocates. As a company posts information online during a crisis, employees who have their own social media accounts can re-tweet or re-post, further amplifying messaging from the company. To take advantage of this potential, employers should communicate with their employees in a direct and timely manner, so employees do not panic and clearly understand any policies about speaking with the media or handling aspects of the crisis as they develop.

What can senior executives and companies do to better prepare for a PR crisis?

While every crisis is different in nature, the strategic communications mechanics of anticipating and mitigating impact are similar: prepare (a crisis plan), practice (a crisis drill) and understand the processes and policies that are put in place.

Is reputation management getting easier or harder? Why?

Considerably harder, as there are more channels available where an accusation – whether authentic or fake – can be voiced and amplified. Further, small blogs, bots and others spread information and disinformation that gets picked up by more legitimate sources and then things grow online. And, of course, in the digital ecosphere all of this can happen very quickly and have a substantial impact upon an individual or brand’s reputation.

What has been your biggest PR or crisis communications challenge? How did you handle it?

Challenges are relative and each client faces a different issue that is unique to them. So, if we take the example of a tire recall on the heels of the Firestone fiasco, the particular company was concerned they would be dragged into the same mess, and they were already designated as one of the companies to supply the replacement tires. We worked closely with management, government agencies and dealers to send a consistent message to the local and national media in order for customers to feel confident that this company was doing the right thing and it was a small issue that was nothing like the Firestone problem.

 

How to Connect:

Website:  https://www.karvcommunications.com/
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/karv-communications/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KARVComm

We are very excited to continue our public relations and crisis communications expert interview series with Hinda Mitchell, the founder and president of Inspire PR Group, a nationally recognized, midsize communications firm representing valued brands across the United States. At Inspire, Hinda leads a team of public relations and digital professionals shaping communications strategies and delivering strong results for a diverse group of clients.

Hinda is a trusted public relations advisor to national organizations and corporations and provides direct counsel to CEOs, c-suite executives and association leaders on complex business matters. She has extensive experience in providing strategic, high-level communications support to companies, state and national trade associations, advocacy groups, restaurants, education organizations, and nonprofit groups. Hinda has led communications strategy and response for numerous high-profile national crises in manufacturing and production, construction and real estate, environment, nonprofit organizations, schools, activism, food safety and animal agriculture.

Hinda has assembled a talented team of experienced communications professionals, who are writers, content creators, counselors and strategists. With her leadership, Inspire’s team works with clients to help identify and amplify their vision and values throughout their internal organization and with external stakeholders. The firm deploys those values across audiences through effective, tailored communication strategies, from media relations, digital marketing and social media, to advertising, design and internal communications.

Hinda believes that the best communications are built on a platform of mutual trust and values. Her firm forges robust relationships with its client partners and relies on those relationships to achieve the highest outcomes. The Inspire team works with purpose, and always with clients’ goals and success in mind.

Inspire is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, and serves clients nationwide.

What is reputation management? How does it relate to public relations?

A brand or business is only as good as the reputation it holds. Reputation management is about establishing a strong reputation, and then communicating and engaging in foundational ways that positively advance that reputational image. Reputation management also is about anticipating, identifying and mitigating reputation risk, before it harms the reputation.

Maintaining a strong and favorable reputation results from trust. PR is a critical tool in building trust. By helping companies or brands connect with their stakeholders, leveraging shared values and creating meaningful conversations, trust is established. And when stakeholders trust a company or brand, it builds a positive reputation. Having a strong reputation pays into the “bank of goodwill.” When a business or organization faces a challenge or crisis, being able to lean into that strong reputation and brand image will help weather the storm and decrease negative impacts on the brand.

What are the biggest PR mistakes you see companies make online? How could these mistakes have been avoided?

I see two significant mistakes being made right now. One is that companies are pushing information out, but they’re not listening to stakeholders. The digital and social space is a back and forth conversation – push and pull, talk and listen.

The second is that many companies are “tone-deaf” when it comes to what they share online. The Black Lives Matter and anti-racism movement is a great example. When taking public/online positions about social issues like racism or the pandemic, it is essential that the words you use and the posts you make are fully aligned with the values of your key stakeholders. This includes employees, customers, Board members, shareholders and others – if there is a disconnect in the company position and their positions, at best, they will ignore the company, and at worst, they may become angry and disillusioned about their relationship with the brand.

The messages that you share matter – and it’s called social media for a reason. It’s social – it’s a two-way street. Companies must engage their online followers in meaningful dialogue – online conversations always should be a priority, but especially now, when more people are online than ever before. It’s not something that should be a secondary communication or just a marketing platform, nor is it something that should be delegated to an admin or an intern. Online engagement is an essential part of the marketing strategy, and it should be budgeted and led as such.

How does social media factor into your reputation management strategy?

Social media is the best and worst part of reputation management. It’s the worst because it is so easy to step on a land mine. We’ve seen so many business leaders and executives forget to “pause before posting” and the result is a post that is inappropriate or offensive that gets widely shared – which creates the digital and reputational crisis. Or companies post when they should be silent, or fail to monitor online sentiment effectively, allowing them to quickly spiral out of control.

That said, social media also can be a valuable tool to reputation management, as it allows real-time listening to key audiences, and if the company monitors conversations and sentiment taking place online, it can use those metrics and understanding to shape its messages and to quickly address any misinformation or conversation that would put its reputation at risk. Social media also can be a tool to reputational recovery, as it provides a swift and targeted way to reach large numbers of stakeholders at once with a unified message and to create a feedback circle to gauge where reputational opinion lies.

What is the first thing a company should do when there is a crisis online?

Assign someone to start monitoring the conversation, and make sure they are doing so 24/7. Crises online move swiftly, and they can escalate in a matter of minutes, not hours. Also, being early to the conversation and providing frequent updates matters. Keep all eyes looking at your company to define what is happening. A lack of communication cedes the crisis to others to be defined.

What can employees do to help their company during and after a PR crisis?

There are conflicting opinions about the role of employees in a crisis. I like to make them ambassadors for the brand. The bottom line is, they will be asked about it by family and friends regardless. Why not give them some (basic) tools to respond? I advise clients to get a brief memo to employees, as early as possible, to reassure and inform them, but also to give them 2-3 general talking / response points they can use if asked about the crisis. We also always remind employees that they are not media spokespeople, and how to handle it if they are approached by a reporter.

What can senior executives and companies do to better prepare for a PR crisis?

Have a plan! So many companies still don’t have a crisis response plan for communications. Identify what are the most likely crises to happen, then those that could have the biggest impact on reputation, and then prepare response scenarios and materials for those situations. Then, train the team in how to respond through tabletop exercises or full-on crisis drills. Consider having a “dark page” hidden on your website and ready to go live for major crises.

This act of practicing helps identify any gaps in the plan, refines the roles of leaders and illuminates any areas that need to be addressed. The crisis response plan should be reviewed at least every six months and updated as necessary.

Is reputation management getting easier or harder? Why?

Overall, I believe it is more challenging. Mobile phones, social media and the ways we all are now connected has made everyone a “journalist” in their own actions. What might in the past have not made news or not blown up into a large-scale crisis now may travel quickly across digital platforms and become much bigger than it would have been before the internet.

The other challenge is that misinformation travels just as quickly as information (and sometimes faster – if it is particularly salacious.) Getting in front of the digital rumor mill and staying in front is critical.

It should also be noted, though, that the availability of social/digital platforms for companies in crisis also is a valuable tool. For the same reasons it helps advance the crisis, it also gives companies a swift way to engage all their online stakeholders with one message. If they’ve done a good job building rapport with followers and paying into that “bank of goodwill,” then their digital following can be a great resource in helping drive a favorable message or clarifying misinformation in a crisis.

What has been your biggest PR or crisis communications challenge? How did you handle it?

As a rule, I don’t talk about the crises I’ve been involved with. I often say some of the best things I’ve ever written in my career never were used, as we were able to avert difficult situations through preparedness and management.

Generally, though, the greatest challenge comes in dealing with leaders or executives who don’t understand that they (or their company) have done something wrong. If you must spend the early hours of crisis response convincing them there’s an issue, you lose valuable time in engagement.

I’ve also been involved in crises where the right response was going to require termination of an employee(s) or cost the company millions of dollars to do the right thing. These are tough situations – it’s not easy to advise a client to do this, and it is difficult for the client to make that call, even when he or she knows it is the only real path to recovery.

The worst crises, by far, are when there is loss of human life. It is hard on everyone, it is emotionally volatile, and it requires a deft touch and firm understanding of the implications of each word that is released in responding.

How to Connect:

Website: https://www.inspireprgroup.com/

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/hindamitchell/

We are very excited to continue our public relations and crisis communications expert interview series with Samantha Jacobs, President/Founder of Hemsworth Communications.

Samantha is a corporate communications and public relations strategist who has represented clients in a variety of industries including travel and tourism, destination marketing, cruise, travel distribution/travel agency, technology, wellness and more. Samantha’s career spans nearly 20 years in public relations, marketing and communications, including working as a senior-level executive for top-ranked PR agencies and corporations.

Prior to launching Hemsworth Communications in 2014, Samantha served as associate partner for Finn Partners, VP for M. Silver Associates and before that, was the first-ever director of PR for World Travel Holdings. Prior to joining WTH, Samantha worked in management positions for several top-rated New York City- and Baltimore-based public relations agencies. She began her career in the New York City headquarters of ABC News/Good Morning America. Samantha graduated from Mary Baldwin College in Virginia, with a dual degree in Communications and Sociology.

A dynamic, full-service agency, Hemsworth Communications is one of the fastest-growing, top-ranked agencies in the United States according to O’Dwyer’s PR Report and one of PR News’ Top Places to Work, recognized for its unique, forward-thinking company culture. With three distinctive divisions – Travel/Tourism, Food/Wine/Spirits, and Franchising/Business Services – Hemsworth represents fresh, up-and-coming businesses as well as leading, renowned global brands. Services include brand communications strategy, media relations, promotions, guerrilla marketing, social media, thought leadership and event planning. Unlike traditional PR agencies, Hemsworth is dedicated to crafting customized communications programs that are infused with personal, passionate client service and positively contribute to each client’s bottom line.

What is reputation management? How does it relate to public relations?

Reputation management is working to control how the public thinks of an individual or brand, in many cases, helping craft corporate messaging and both proactive and reactive strategies to drive perception. Reputation management and PR go hand-in-hand. Our job as PR practitioners is to maintain goodwill for our clients amongst their target audiences and the greater public.

What are the biggest PR mistakes you see companies make online? How could these mistakes have been avoided?

One of the biggest mistakes companies make is thinking they can do their own PR, without tapping into an expert or agency.  You hire an accountant for your taxes and an attorney for legal matters.  Having a PR expert on hand, who knows the ins and outs of corporate communications and has the right relationships to support you, is key.  The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an unprecedented challenge across every industry. Understandably, many companies without PR representation are finding themselves at a loss on how to handle effectively engaging with their customers. With that, in the early stages of the pandemic, we unfortunately saw some companies continue with pushing sales and special promotions, which came across as out of touch and tone deaf. We also have seen companies sit back and simply do nothing, which will leave them unprepared with a limited sales funnel when things do bounce back…which they will.  During a crisis such as COVID-19, companies don’t need to disappear completely, but they should adapt communication strategies to be sensitive to the situation and put their customers’ well-being at the forefront of their efforts.

How does social media factor into your reputation management strategy?

Social media is a critical piece of the reputation management puzzle. Social media provides brands with the opportunity to showcase their unique personality and if done properly, it can strengthen their credibility in the eye of their target consumer. When handling social media for our clients, we take an all-encompassing, in-depth approach to ensure we’re tracking every company mention, customer comment, review, keyword, trend and everything in between. We also ensure social media and PR messaging, and strategies, are complimenting one another. Now more than ever, it’s critical to have one comprehensive and consistent approach.

What is the first thing a company should do when there is a crisis online?

The first thing a company should do is pause any pre-scheduled external communications. The last thing a company wants to happen is to have a social media post or e-blast going out and seeming like they’re ignoring, or oblivious, to the issue at hand. We encourage companies to freeze communications, take a step back and share the full details of what is happening with us, so that we can move swiftly – but carefully – through the crisis.

What can employees do to help their company during and after a PR crisis?

It’s extremely important for employees to remain connected during a PR crisis and make themselves available to assist their company as needed. Internal communication is paramount during times of crisis. In many cases, reactive messaging is provided to employees to help them comfortably and appropriately address questions about the issue at hand. After a PR crisis, employees should help their company assess the outcome and determine what they can learn from it to better handle future crisis situations.

What can senior executives and companies do to better prepare for a PR crisis?

Advanced preparedness is the key to successful crisis management. Every company should have a PR crisis team and a full plan in place. That plan should include sample scenarios, reactive messaging, points of action, scripted posts and press statements and more.  If a company does not have this in place, they will be behind when a crisis occurs.  Once a crisis unfolds, your team needs to have the right resources available at their fingertips to swiftly lead to action. That’s why it’s essential for companies to have a dedicated PR team in place to handle responsibilities such as monitoring the media landscape to catch potential crisis early and respond quickly before things escalate. It’s also beneficial for trained PR professionals to have a seat at the table when making important decisions that will affect the public’s perception of the company.  The more information we know (and we’re NDA’d, always), the better.

Is reputation management getting easier or harder? Why?

There’s a range of tools out there that can make reputation management efforts easier, such as media monitoring software and social listening tools that pull and analyze data. On the contrary though, reputation management is in some ways getting harder due to the seemingly never-ending stream of new social technologies, apps and platforms rolling out on a regular basis. For this reason, as an agency in the trenches on these things, we have dedicated team members who are responsible for keeping their finger on the pulse of trends in order to help our clients stay ahead of the curve.

What has been your biggest PR or crisis communications challenge? How did you handle it?

The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly been the biggest crisis that I, like many others, have ever faced. Like all challenges, I try to put the focus on the positive rather than the negative. With that, myself and my team found opportunities where we could elevate our clients in the media, attaching them to stories of leadership during this challenging and unfamiliar landscape. As one example, we crafted key messaging on behalf of our private aviation client to educate consumers on the benefits of how flying privately mitigates some of the risks that would be associated with flying commercially during a global health crisis. As a result of our efforts, we were able to garner a steady stream of top-tier media coverage and create positive brand association for the company.

How to Connect:

Website:  HemsworthCommunications.com

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-jacobs-9b90337

We are very excited to continue our public relations and crisis communications expert interview series with Noreen Heron, CEO and founder of Heron Agency.

In 2000, Noreen founded and has built the award-winning Heron Agency into one of the nation’s leading lifestyle communications agencies. As a pioneer of new communication and digital technologies, Noreen ensures that Heron Agency is always on the cutting-edge of the media industry and its trends. Her entrepreneurial mindset has garnered her over a dozen prestigious industry awards, and her reputation of consistently delivering fully integrated marketing campaigns that improve a client’s bottom line and profitability is well known. Throughout her career, she has represented 30 hotel brands, more than 1000 theater productions including national tours, 400 restaurants, and countless events including the Taste of Chicago, the Race to Mackinac, the Jeff Awards, the Grand Chefs Gala, the Randolph Street Market, the Highland Games, the Chicago Boat & RV Show, and the One of a Kind Show. She has managed corporate campaigns for Paper Source, Luna Carpet, Smirnoff, Massage Envy and others. Noreen has represented numerous celebrities in Chicago and around the country including Prince, Jerry Seinfeld, Janeane Garafalo, Gabriel Byrne, Dan Aykroyd, the Beach Boys, Celtic Thunder, and Jewel, among others. She has also represented several non-profit organizations including the National Hellenic Museum, Alliance Francaise Chicago, the American Writers Museum, and more. She has grown the scope of the agency over the years in terms of client base, because she believes that creative, solid PR/Social media services in any category are what is needed and what the agency is capable of delivering. Hence, the agency has represented retailers, entertainment venues, CVBs, medical practices, product launches, sports teams, franchises and more.

Never having worked at an agency prior to owning one, Noreen developed what her clients refer to as “the secret sauce.” Team members serve the way in-house publicists do, working in every conceivable fashion to drive business for clients. Wanting to provide service that she would herself hope to receive as a consumer, Noreen provides the bandwidth for clients, putting 4 to 5 experts on each team servicing a client.

Noreen has served on numerous boards and planned dozens of charitable fundraisers, receiving many awards (listed below). Highly networked, she is a specialist at using her connections to the benefit of her clients and linking them to each other to build productive relationships. Her time on property at Hyatt Regency Chicago, working under Jerry Lewin, and serving on the Executive Committee for 5 years, gave her a keen understanding of return on investment, and the importance of practicing PR, Social Media, Marketing and Advertising that provides real results.

Prior to Hyatt, Noreen served as the Director of Public Relations for the iconic Candlelight Dinner Playhouse/Forum Theatre, the 1025-seat dinner theater venue where she started as an usher at 14 years old, moving up to House Manager, Season Subscription Manager and eventually managing the theater’s PR. This legendary venue developed her love of live theater and the restaurant business. Hyatt made her fall in love with the electric atmosphere of hotels.

Noreen lives in Lincoln Park, just three blocks from her office. She calls her Heron team “family” and she considers her greatest work achievements the wonderful group of talent that she has assembled; the mentoring that she has done; and the creation of a day-to-day warm culture at the firm. She has taught classes on Communications at Northwestern University, DePaul University, Roosevelt University and Kendall College.

What is reputation management?  How does it relate to public relations?

Reputation management is the effort to influence what and how people think of a brand or person when viewed online. Put another way, character is who you are. Reputation is whom other people think you are, and today it’s based mainly on what artificial intelligence systems portray about you rather than the first-person experience. Every company wants to be perceived as “authentic” but actually more often than not, brands are manufactured to reach a certain demographic to make a profit. A truly authentic brand always resonates. Public relations practitioners are often the gate keepers/watchdogs as to what is being said online and it involves “social listening”, watching the news, following social media platforms etc. to make sure a brand’s good name is not maligned unfairly.

What are the biggest PR mistakes you see companies make online?  How could these mistakes have been avoided?

Lately, we see a lot of companies being tone deaf on current events, moving along with their own sales, promotions, initiatives when our country is hurting, seemingly oblivious. The companies that are empathetic and think past “how do we improve our bottom line” are the ones that usually do improve their bottom line!

How does social media factor into your reputation management strategy?

Hugely now, because many people use their social media as their news source. According to a Pew Research study, sixty-two percent of US adults now get news from social media sources. Reddit has the largest number of users who say they get their news on the site at 70 percent, followed by Facebook users at 66 percent and Twitter at 59 percent. When people are reading comments and perceiving it as news, it is very important to harness that process as a public relations professional managing the reputation of a company, because what you read is not always true. A brand can become maligned very unfairly and very quickly doing severe damage.

What is the first thing a company should do when there is a crisis online?

Shut down the comments section because a lot of misinformation can be spread quickly. Work with the press quickly and efficiently to get the facts out and tell your truthful story.

What can employees do to help their company during and after a PR crisis?

Attention must be paid to not only who is running the social media account for a company (remember when KitchenAid tweeted a tasteless “joke” concerning U.S. President Obama’s deceased grandmother during the presidential debate?

“Obamas gma even knew it was going 2 b bad! She died 3 days b4 he became president #nbcpolitics”

Even though the tweet was deleted minutes after, the damage was done. Twitter users and the media caught on, and the company was forced to send out a number of apologies. In general, companies should have a set policies in place regarding what is fair game, and companies should encourage their employees to help support the social media platforms of a company. Mercedes Benz has 175,000 employees. Imagine if all of them were posting pictures of the new models and the power of that from a sales perspective.

What can senior executives and companies do to better prepare for a PR crisis?

Pay attention to what the news is of the day and make sure that your agency does as well! One of the worst social media disasters came from the NRA. On the day of the Aurora, Colo. shooting, the NRA tweeted:

“Good morning, shooters. Happy Friday! Weekend plans?” Naturally, the NRA received no points for sympathy, and a critical firestorm of tweets were launched across the social platform. The tweet was taken down hours later, and a spokesperson said that “A single individual, unaware of the events in Colorado, tweeted a comment that is being completely taken out of context.”

Is reputation management getting easier or harder?  Why?

Much more challenging because people can post anything, even if it isn’t true. I think that the absolute worse platform for this is Glassdoor, where there is no gauge for truthfulness and posts are anonymous. One angry employee could post ten fake reviews and single-handedly take down the company’s score without even giving their name. Trip Advisor is similar. I once read a review for a restaurant that said, “Food wasn’t salty enough for me” and gave the restaurant one star. Now even let’s say it isn’t, another consumer might have taken to the restaurant’s salt shaker on the table and fixed the problem themselves. That one-star review really brings down the company’s overall score, and in our world, people look at the star rating quickly and don’t read some of the inane criticism.

What has been your biggest PR or crisis communications challenge?  How did you handle it?

I have handled too many big crisis situations to really pick just one, but I handled a crisis for a large retail client who had one of their employees shot and killed in one of their locations by her ex-husband, whom she had filed a restraining order against. We immediately started working with the police to get them all the information that we needed, we made sure that senior leadership was physically there to emotionally support the family, we prepared statements for the press and the employees of the company, and managed calls from the press. We also recommended starting a Go Fund Me account for the family which our client seeded with a large donation.

How to Connect:

Noreen Heron Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noreen.heron

Noreen Heron Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noreenheron/

Noreen Heron LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noreen-heron-3a25761/

Heron Agency Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeronAgency/

Heron Agency Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heronagency/

Heron Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noreen-heron-3a25761/

Heron Agency Twitter: https://twitter.com/heronagency

 

We are very excited to continue our public relations and crisis communications expert interview series with Marc Ehrhardt, President of The Ehrhardt Group.

Through his public relations career spanning more than two decades, Marc Ehrhardt has developed and implemented award-winning public affairs, corporate image, national media relations, issues management and crisis management programs in the economic development, retail, entertainment, energy, financial and manufacturing industries.

As president of The Ehrhardt Group, Marc guides the firm’s strategic direction and new business development efforts, while also providing high-level counsel to clients throughout the Gulf South and nationwide. Specifically, Marc has placed stories on behalf of his clients on NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, CNN Headline News and in The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, Dow Jones News Service, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and The New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Marc is active in the Louisiana chapter of the Entrepreneurs Organization and is an alumnus of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program and Louisiana Economic Development’s CEO Roundtable. He has served on the board of the Press Club of New Orleans, Ursuline Academy and the Young Leadership Council in New Orleans, where he led the inaugural “One Book, One New Orleans” citywide reading and literacy awareness initiative.

Marc earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Loyola University Chicago and joined the family business after a stint at Edelman Public Relations Worldwide in Chicago.

What is reputation management? How does it relate to public relations? 

Reputation management at its heart is about trust. How does a company or organization build, grow and develop trust with the people that are most important to that institution?

Companies can ask a great deal of their stakeholders. They ask their team to lend the company its best thinking, time and best effort every day. They ask their customers to engage with the company and receive something in return. They ask their shareholders to invest and share the company’s vision for the future.

In exchange, these most important stakeholders trust companies and organizations to operate safely and ethically, make sound financial decisions and deliver products and services that have some positive impact on the lives of their customers, whether it’s the experience of an outdoor concert or a live-saving medical treatment.

How successful a company is in this exchange of trust results in a reputation to be managed.

Building trust partially relies on an understanding of how people make decisions and take action. The role of public relations is to create, maintain, enhance and protect a company’s reputation and point of view, as if it was our own. Our work touches the people and communities most important to our clients, colleagues and fellow citizens.

What are the biggest PR mistakes you see companies make online? How could these mistakes have been avoided?

Companies can move too quickly to engage with online communities, especially in times of crisis or uncertainty. Is it better to be first or correct? The media deals with this dilemma by the hour.

We must move quickly, but we must be deliberate what we say. Many times, being deliberate, authentic and genuine requires taking a breath and looking for the best path forward, not the most traveled.

Moving quickly online just to get something “out there” is trying to be first, when companies should be looking to be correct, genuine and authentic in their message.

How does social media factor into your reputation management strategy? 

Especially now, when the intensity around social justice and public health is only increasing, I believe the public’s expectations of companies are becoming more intense. Companies and professionals like me need to be more aware of how issues evolve in real time and what the public expects from us.

We see these passions, debates and protests play out right in front of us through social media.

Right now, a customer or stakeholder has a much more vocal expectation of a company’s agenda for change. What will this company that I have a connection to – customer, employee, investor – do to bring about long-lasting, constructive change? As important, how will we communicate that agenda for change, listen for feedback, adjust and improve and ultimately be accountable for the change we bring about? Social media is a primary venue for this discussion to unfold.

What is the first thing a company should do when there is a crisis online? 

Assess first and move deliberately. I believe it is best to be correct than to be first. It’s better to me that a company says it is gathering answers at first, rather than speculating and increasing the chances of misinformation and confusion due to time pressure from the outside.

A company has to deal with what it says. I’d rather deal from a position of accuracy and advocacy than a position of defend and unraveling the confusion.

What can employees do to help their company during and after a PR crisis?

The level of trust between a company and its most important stakeholders shows itself during a crisis. In strong relationships between companies and employees, the team becomes the first line of communicators on the company’s behalf. They are in the community. Their friends and family identify an employee with the company.

Sometimes the public turns on a company so quickly. In those cases, employees have to remind their friends and family about the standards that the employee holds themselves to and how that projects onto the entire corporate culture.

The best advice for an employee working for a company in crisis is do not speculate…ever. During the most intense parts of a crisis or after the crisis waters have calmed, do not speculate. It only creates confusion and greater chances for complications that extend the crisis, which no one wants.

What can senior executives and companies do to better prepare for a PR crisis?

I was reading an article recently from the Farnam Street/Knowledge Project that talked about the folly of preparing for the last crisis. Too often, we are thinking more about what happened and how to prevent it again. Most of the time in most industries, we are dealing with events that occur outside of our control, such as a global pandemic. Senior executive and companies can control their responses to those events.

As we plan for the things we can control and how we respond to the things we can’t, we should also work daily to maintain, enhance and protect our reputation and points of view. The exchange of trust that a company has with its most important audiences is needed most when a crisis hits.

Is reputation management getting easier or harder? Why?

Harder. Definitely harder. Our attention span on average is less than 15 seconds now. We make snap decisions and judgments based on the information we compile in less than 15 seconds. There are more venues than ever to share our opinions whenever we want. The media is splintering to focus on their own niche audiences.

Reputation is enhanced and protected in smaller, quicker steps. Taking those steps needs to happen constantly. There is no end to the reputation journey, because the trust and good will that a company may gain over decades of work and accountability can be lost so quickly in today’s information consumption environment.

What has been your biggest PR or crisis communications challenge? How did you handle it?

For better or worse, I have been involved in more than 200 various crisis situations during my career from natural disasters and environmental crises to high-profile legal challenges and the literal rebuilding of an American city.

We offer clients our time and ideas, two things that are intensely personal. As I have grown in experience and hopefully as a person and professional, I go into crisis situations with an eye on what’s right in that situation, more so than what is expedient.

How to Connect:

Website:  www.tegpr.com

LinkedIn:  linkedin.com/in/marcehrhardt

We are very excited to continue our public relations and crisis communications expert interview series with Tina Kozak, President and Shareholder of Franco, an integrated communications agency based in Detroit.

As one of the region’s leading crisis communications strategists, Tina Kozak has earned the trust and respect of many Michigan business leaders by working alongside them to help prevent and manage a wide variety of reputation-impacting issues.

Over her nearly two decades in the public relations industry, Tina has coached, counseled and prepared organizations in the areas of reputation management, crisis communications and brand repair. In addition to crisis work, Tina provides counsel to a range of clients in the areas of communications strategy, brand development, corporate positioning and community relations.

Prior to joining Franco in 2007, Tina was corporate communications manager for auto supplier Metaldyne Corp., where she managed global programming that included public relations and events, marketing, government relations, employee communications and community relations.

Tina holds a Bachelor of Arts with a dual major in public relations and Spanish from Wayne State University. She is also a graduate of the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Leadership Detroit XXXIII. Tina currently chairs the Michigan Chamber of Commerce’s Foundation board.

What is reputation management? How does it relate to public relations?

Reputation management starts with knowing what people think and how they feel about your brand. It’s important not to confuse your own marketing (what you want people to think) with your reputation (what they actually think). Once you understand your reputation, there are ways to track and manage it with a strategic and integrated approach to communications.

What are the biggest PR mistakes you see companies make online? How could these mistakes have been avoided?

One mistake companies make is when they operate in an echo chamber and only employ one-way marketing strategies with their audience. It’s important to listen and reflect on what stakeholders think and feel about your brand and engage them in authentic conversations.

Another mistake is using corporate jargon and not addressing the most important question to your audience – what does this mean to me?

How does social media factor into your reputation management strategy?

Social media is key to listening and engaging with your audiences. A solid social media strategy, including a crisis response plan, is essential. Social media channels give companies the opportunity to build and nurture a brand over time, but it only takes a few minutes for your brand to be destroyed on social. Moral of the story – have a plan!

What is the first thing a company should do when there is a crisis online?

Engage your crisis communications plan. If your organization doesn’t already have a crisis plan, now is the time to create one. If you do have a plan, it’s the perfect time for reflection as we move through different stages of this global pandemic. Your plan should consider things like:

• Do you have a crisis communications team in place? Have you appointed primary and back-up team members, including a chief strategist, spokesperson and media liaison?
• Do you have a rapid response protocol? Have you identified a command center?
• Do your front-line communicators know how to handle unexpected media calls/visits?
• Do you maintain a contact list to ensure key stakeholders hear news from you before they see it online?

We’ve developed a great resource for building a crisis communications plan. You can find it here.

What can employees do to help their company during and after a PR crisis?

At Franco, we describe our own work as “driven by data and powered by people.” In a crisis, your people can be your greatest assets or your most challenging adversaries. I believe wholeheartedly that an informed workforce is an empowered workforce. Before drafting and sending media statements, your crisis protocol should consider your employees. How will they be engaged at the start? How do you avoid them reading about a company crisis in the news before you’ve addressed it directly?

Employees should understand their role in a crisis, and that includes whether they should speak on behalf of the organization (typically, they shouldn’t!). But armed with the right information, they can be great ambassadors for a brand in crisis or recovery mode.

What can senior executives and companies do to better prepare for a PR crisis?

Leadership can champion a crisis communications plan before it’s needed. Build a relationship with a trusted crisis advisor and be prepared to bring that person “in” when a crisis hits (or before!). No one wants to surrender strategy to a stranger. Build these relationships in advance so when a crisis hits, you already trust an expert to guide you through it.

Is reputation management getting easier or harder? Why?

Reputation management is more challenging today, with anyone and everyone able to hurl opposition online. Brands are under a microscope, and one bad decision can incite an attack on your business, or even on you personally. But in many ways, this scrutiny has resulted in more authentic brands because brands can’t hide behind one-way corporate marketing and traditional PR (presented without comments) to build and maintain their reputations. It’s much more complex and requires strategy and constant attention. But when done well, this integrated communications approach results in a more authentic relationship between brands and customers.

What has been your biggest PR or crisis communications challenge? How did you handle it?

Goodness! There have been some tough ones, that’s for sure, and each crisis teaches you something new. I’ve experienced everything from labor strikes and manufacturing accidents to environmental issues that cause a stink (literally). But a few stand out in terms of lessons learned.

I had a CEO client who was being blackmailed by a former employee who threatened to release a distasteful video involving one of the CEO’s children. That’s a lot to process. The decision was whether to address it with his employees before the video was posted online. We weighed the pros and cons and prepared for the onslaught of questions from media, customers and other stakeholders upon the news starting to circulate. This wasn’t an easy decision, but ultimately the CEO agreed that his employees’ trust was important and being open and forthcoming was part of his values and the culture of the organization.

Another tough one was when I represented a school where a young student had been sexually assaulted. The circumstances were gut-wrenching, and the news weighed heavy on the school’s reputation, naturally. The challenge was presenting the facts while protecting the minor’s identity. The truth was the suspect had in fact worked at the school at one time but was also a relative of the child (a detail we couldn’t release to protect the child’s identity). All contact had been off school grounds. We worked closely with law enforcement to nuance some details to take the focus away from the school as a dangerous environment and help ease the fears of parents getting ready to send their children back to school. This was one was hard on so many levels, and I’ll always remember it.

How to Connect:

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We are very excited to continue our public relations and crisis communications expert interview series with Melinda Goodman, founder of FullTilt Marketing, a boutique marketing agency she founded eight years ago. A self-proclaimed foodie, ag advocate and a storyteller, all which come by naturally and are deeply rooted in her history and her own personal story. Melinda grew up on a family ranch outside a “no stoplight” kind of small town where her mom owned the local grocery store and everybody knew you by first name. Fast food meant eating on the run in the tractor and good food started at home with Mom’s scratch cooking, three square meals and an abundance of fresh chocolate chip cookies straight out the oven, along with a few scoops of cookie dough for good measure. It was a place where doing the right thing mattered most and serving your community was always a priority.

Melinda didn’t realize at the time how small towns, gardens, plucked chickens, a rouge pig and the show steers of her history would become her direct connection to food and her future, but today it’s all part of her work at FullTilt Marketing.

Throughout her career, Melinda has worked in diverse roles including sales, marketing and new business development at commodity boards, private companies and marketing agencies. Melinda has also leveraged her creativity to conceptualize and expand brand concepts and retail promotions, overseeing the development and implementation of more than 350 new packages, dozens of trade promotions and brand awareness campaigns for a variety of clients, including national brands like Disney, Paula Deen Enterprises, The Biggest Loser and the Sneaky Chef.

Her love of people, food and agriculture is what allows her to get her hands dirty in any business, meet new people and become instant friends and busy herself with learning what makes the business of anything tick. It’s the deep appreciation for people, food and places that helps Melinda find the story for every brand.

What is reputation management? How does it relate to public relations?

Reputation management in its simplest form is the managed public persona of a person, brand or company. This relates to public relations as it is the managed or controlled construction of everything from press releases, media interviews, social media and all public-facing interaction with the brand, company or person.

What are the biggest PR mistakes you see companies make online? How could these mistakes have been avoided?

I think the biggest mistakes many companies make is the lack of authenticity. They work so hard to control every detail of their public image that they fail to say anything or build a relationship with their audience. Then when an issue does occur and they need to make a public statement that audience doesn’t have any reason to connect, feel compassion, believe the information or even care to be a peer support system because they have no connection to the brand at an emotional level.

How does social media factor into your reputation management strategy?

Today so much of the public facing image of a company is through social media either directly or indirectly. Seventy nine percent of U.S. consumers have at least one social media profile. Consumers use social media to get news, make reviews, ask questions and research new products. In many cases social media may be the first place a consumer finds out about a brand – either good or bad. Companies should be cultivating an authentic social strategy that creates brand engagement and tells stories that have an emotional connection to the people and the products.

What is the first thing a company should do when there is a crisis online?

Of course the first thing is always to assess the damage. It’s easy to get into response mode before thinking, especially because social media happens in real-time and is immediate. But assessing the damage and level of crisis is about having information. Basic questions should be asked, for example, is it true, how widespread is the reach, what platform is it on, who posted it, what is the likelihood of viral pickup, what is the cause and effect of this content crisis and how can we manage it? Each question and its corresponding answer provide a roadmap for next steps. Not every piece of social content needs to be responded to instantaneously. Taking even a short breather to ask yourself a few questions can help you draft an appropriate response and necessary steps for proceeding, especially if the crisis is likely to grow over the course of several days or weeks before it is controlled.

What can employees do to help their company during and after a PR crisis?

If you want your employees to help during and after a PR crisis (and do so effectively) you should already have a culture of transparency where your employees feel they are valued and trusted members of your team. If they are truly on Team Company they can be important consumer advocates in dispelling negative information, but most importantly misinformation that spreads rapidly on social media. However, employees should never be asked to speak about anything they are uncomfortable with and they should always understand how and when they should provide company information. Even best intentions can go awry if team members are not properly informed in a situation.

What can senior executives and companies do to better prepare for a PR crisis?

Senior executives should build companies based on transparent cultural values and consistently share authentic stories about their people and their brand. They should worry less about saying the “perfect” thing and spend more time saying meaningful things that people care about. If they are a company that has invested in doing the right thing from day one they will generally be better equipped to manage a PR crisis because the language will be closer at hand and from the heart rather than trying to fabricate the reputation management story that best suits the necessary narrative of the day.

Is reputation management getting easier or harder? Why?

Reputation management is clearly getting harder because of social media. Today more than ever before, misinformation can spread on social media like wildfire. Trolls love creating internet controversy and there is little concern to fact check information before sharing. Photoshop can make a quote, news story or tweet that never happened looked real and today’s Google will give you an answer for just about anything that verifies your own echo chamber. Lack of trust in everyone from doctors, news media and politicians makes it difficult for consumers to discern what information they should trust and often times they turn to the latest internet influencer to give them the information they are hungry for…even if that person is pedaling the same snake oil in a different package.  

What has been your biggest PR or crisis communications challenge? How did you handle it?

Out of respect for our clients we opt not to share specific issues and outcomes but we’ve covered issues that include food safety, workforce safety issues, corporate social responsibility, and even organizational trust issues related to mismanagement of funds. The level of success we were able to achieve for each organization was completely dependent on the level of transparency that their management was willing to provide. There is a time to fight and there is a time to say I’m sorry and I made a mistake, but there is never a time to put your head in the sand.

How to Connect

Website: https://www.fulltiltmarketing.net/

LinkedIn:  linkedin.com/in/melinda-goodman-74042b4

We are very excited to continue our public relations and crisis communications expert interview series with Ilissa Miller, founder and CEO, iMiller Public Relations (iMPR).

Ilissa Miller brings nearly two decades of experience in sales, marketing, and product development to her clients in an effort to help them differentiate their messages and achieve notoriety within an ever-expanding and evolving industry. With a wealth of experience and knowledge in the emerging global telecommunications and technology industries, her extensive expertise and practical skill set have allowed her to implement and spearhead and launch many companies as well as global product and marketing campaigns including that of international private line and networks, IP transit, peering, IPVPN, hosted PBX, cloud computing, Ethernet, managed services, colocation and data center products and solutions. She is a recognized leader in the global telecom and technology space where her knowledge and insights provide strategic guidance that enhance performance resulting in a remarkable reputation for effectiveness and client satisfaction.

In addition to her aforementioned role, since 2013, Mrs. Miller has also served as the President of NEDAS where she functions as the driving force for the association’s annual programs including conferences, training sessions and networking socials. A key ingredient to the Association’s success is the Advisory Council, which was formed in 2013 consisting of industry executives and thought leaders who actively interact with the highly dynamic landscape of the in-building wireless industry.

In 2012, Mrs. Miller was elected to public office as Trustee in the Village of Mamaroneck where she successfully ran for re-election in 2014. As Trustee, she sits on the Village’s Board with legislative and policy decision-makers, governing over 19,000 local residents and serving her community with steadfast dedication.

Prior to founding iMPR, Mrs. Miller was the Managing Partner at a Public Relations firm serving the telecom industry where she spearheaded the company’s growth from 2008-2011. While her current experience works ‘on’ the sector, Miller has extensive hands-on experience working ‘in’ the sector. From 2007-2008, Ilissa was the Director of Marketing Communications and Public Relations for the interconnection company, Telx; a product marketing manager for Australian incumbent carrier, Telstra, where she was responsible for the company’s International Private Line (IPL) and IPVPN/MPLS products; and also served as a channel marketing manager for Telstra where she successfully positioned it’s Asia-Pacific network solutions as a leading partner to various leading US-domestic network operators. From 2000 to 2004, Ilissa worked with Band-X, Inc. the US subsidiary of Band-X the Exchange where she held roles including Director of IP Services and Director of Business Development and Marketing. In this position, Mrs. Miller supported the global marketing efforts of all Band-X’s products including the procurement and exchange of global IPLs, colocation, and voice minutes.

Mrs. Miller holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Writing and Literature from SUNY Potsdam where she also studied voice performance at Crane School of Music.

What is reputation management? How does it relate to public relations?

Reputation management is the practice of ensuring your brand, messages and the sentiment associated with your brand aligns with the position the company articulates to the market.  This can be monitored and observed through digital tools such as media monitoring, job boards, company reviews, social media and more.  Ensuring your brand is perceived as you want it to be is the core purpose of reputation management, and it requires diligence, proactive communication and monitoring on a regular basis.

What are the biggest PR mistakes you see companies make online? How could these mistakes have been avoided? 

The biggest PR mistakes many companies make online are in their use of words and context.  In an ever-changing world, moving more rapidly by the moment, companies must stay in tune with global and local markets and stay close to what matters most.  When companies are not paying attention, you bet the market will let them know.  This could cause disruptions to day-to-day business goals. By tuning in to current events and key social considerations, companies can avoid common mistakes and be relevant when joining conversations, rather than distracting from them.

How does social media factor into your reputation management strategy?

Social Media is a large factor in monitoring and ensuring a positive reputation for brands.  Reiterating words and context and how important they are, social media channels allow PR firms, like iMiller Public Relations, to monitor conversations, keywords, topics and more to align corporate brands and ensure their messaging stays on point with value-added insights.

What is the first thing a company should do when there is a crisis online?

When a company has an online crisis, the first thing they should do is identify the source.  When you identify the source and validate it (or not), you can then track the reach and implications associated to ward off further challenges.  The source could simply be misinformed, and by contacting them to correct, it could also release a domino effect of a more positive result.

What can employees do to help their company during and after a PR crisis?

Employees play a large part in a company’s PR crisis management.  Employees can support and amplify the company’s position, they can stay quiet and out of the fray or add unwanted attention by joining the conversation without prompt or a known cause.  When companies encounter a crisis situation, they should ensure their entire company is alerted with actionable, helpful information on how they can add value to the brand.

What can senior executives and companies do to better prepare for a PR crisis?

Senior executives and companies can better prepare for a PR crisis by paying close attention to those who have successfully weathered their own crisis, as well as those who have not done as well managing their own crisis. As a PR professional, I’ve learned that nearly every day a new brand crisis erupts online. These are opportunities to think hard about how we would/could/should handle the situation if we were providing sound advice to clients.  These daily observable challenges and internal exercises strengthen your ability to respond effectively.  Every day is an opportunity to learn.

Is reputation management getting easier or harder? Why?

Personally, I believe that reputation management is getting harder. There are so many factors that go into a negative or global crisis situation that companies must be equipped to properly manage.  With the pandemic and Black Lives Matter movements in simultaneous full swing, many emotions and personal positions drive individuals to respond and take action. Any perceived slight could cause major disruptions for a brand. This further reinforces my position that words and context matter – be thoughtful and purposeful with your brand’s message and positioning accordingly.

What has been your biggest PR or crisis communications challenge? How did you handle it?

Every day could be the day that our firm tackles the biggest PR or crisis communications challenge.  We have been witness to and part of a number of challenges from immediate management disruptions through unforeseen exits, to a client’s mention as an employer to an accused murderer, lack of sensitivity to current affairs and not understanding the real issues or concerns to immediate loss of life, loss of clients and more. Each situation must be considered and managed in its singular event, and pinpointing an end goal is the starting point.  As you encounter a crisis, the first question to ask is ‘what is the result we want?’ then you can make your plan on how you will get there.

How to Connect:

Website:  https://www.imillerpr.com/
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilissamiller/

What is reputation management? How does it relate to public relations?

Your brand is what you say about yourself. Your reputation is what other people/stakeholders think about you. Your brand should match your reputation. Reputation management is critical to a business’s success, internally and externally. A company must always be mindful to manage its reputation since it is based on others’ perceptions. Public relations are intertwined with reputation management as public relations is the discipline that tells your story and demonstrates your values to key audiences. Companies must continually control their message, tell their story, talk to all key audiences (internal and external), listen to those audiences to ensure they are being perceived as they want to be, and make adjustments as needed to effectively manage their reputation.

What are the biggest PR mistakes you see companies make online? How could these mistakes have been avoided?

Companies make many mistakes online. While they believe online is the best and most direct way to talk to their consumers, without the filter of the media, most use online as a one-way channel instead of understanding it is very much a two-way communication channel. They think online is easy – their kids can do it – so they post content without a strategy or plan to understand how to engage their online audiences. They post what they want people to hear/know, but they often don’t practice what they preach online. They almost never listen to what is being said online. All of these are huge mistakes. A company’s followers can also use that platform to control the narrative and/or hurt a reputation in a blink of an eye. And remember, things live online forever, so it’s imperative that a company and its employees are always ‘on message, on strategy’ to ensure they are protecting and reinforcing a company’s reputation.

How does social media factor into your reputation management strategy?

It’s a very important piece of the puzzle. It enables a company to be seen by and communicate with wide audiences in real time and cost effectively. But, it must be done strategically, effectively and thoughtfully. More importantly, social media should not be the only piece of the puzzle that a company implements; it should be one piece of a more comprehensive communications plan. It is most effective when integrated with other disciplines.

What is the first thing a company should do when there is a crisis online?

Move it offline immediately! The longer it stays online, the greater the damage it can inflict. Engage that person(s) and have them DM the issue and then make sure you respond to them/address it right away. People want to be heard – and if it’s not by the company, they will be happy being heard by others who are following them (or you). So the sooner you can move it offline, the more you will be protecting your reputation.

What can employees do to help their company during and after a PR crisis?

Employees are a company’s best brand ambassadors and messengers. They can help communicate what you do, why you are doing it, your company’s success in weathering the crisis, etc., with one caveat – they must understand it and be invested in it and in the company’s reputation and success. That means companies must put employees central in their communications plans (both regular ongoing communications and crisis communications plans). Share the information with them, explain to them first (not last) what you are planning/doing and why, tell them how they can help, listen to their concerns, and act upon them. Leaving employees out of the loop will disenfranchise this key audience and will ultimately harm a company’s reputation.

What can senior executives and companies do to better prepare for a PR crisis?

PLAN, PLAN, PLAN! It’s too late to start thinking of how to handle a crisis when the crisis has hit or is imminent. You must plan far in advance. We work with clients to identify every scenario that could trigger a crisis (interruption of ‘business as usual’) and then create a plan on how to handle it and communicate the facts about the crisis, how the company is addressing the situation now and to ensure it won’t happen again, and pre-writing all the communications for it. But, planning is not enough. We make them PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE it – how they will get the information verified, communicate it, what platforms they will use, who will speak and how, answering the tough questions, etc.  The most effective crisis communications communicates that the company is in control and has steady, smart, thoughtful leadership, and a solid plan.

Is reputation management getting easier or harder? Why?

Today everyone has a platform to be heard; everyone wants to be heard immediately and everyone is interconnected (we all know our six degrees of separation on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.). Everyone has an opinion and it’s easier than ever for people to use that opinion for their own good/validation/attention-seeking above all else. We are also a very cynical society today, so we judge every statement made and look to find mistakes / inconsistencies / problems, so we can highlight them to harm the messenger and elevate our own status. Reputation management is much more challenging than ever before, but it is certainly doable and doable successfully.

What has been your biggest PR or crisis communications challenge? How did you handle it?

So many.  As a general rule, the hardest challenge is always to get clients to understand they need to tell the truth and the whole truth immediately, not parcel out tidbits of information slowly which allows others to fill in the blanks and/or perceive the company is not telling the whole truth. Transparency, honesty, humility, compassion, and timeliness are key elements of successful crisis communications.

One situation that comes to mind was when I handled the communications during the Writers Guild strike. Thousands of TV and film writers were striking against the media companies that own the broadcast and print media we wanted to tell the writers’ story in. We developed a two-pronged approach – one was to use humor and the Writers Guild East was among the first to use YouTube and blogs/social channels to tell the story.  But, the second was to address head-on the perception that all writers were rich and successful and therefore greedy to be striking for more money.  I had to convince the Guild to be transparent and not be afraid to publicly say that at any given time half of all Guild writers were unemployed looking for their next gig and that the average writer made only a five-figure income.  Being about to share that truth and letting the media talk to any writer on a picket line (not just the cherry-picked high-profile ones) demonstrated the Guild was being honest and transparent, and their strike requests that writers get a reasonable percentage of revenue from the works they wrote was valid. Media responded favorably and did stories with balanced messaging, even media owned by the companies being struck.  We were able to turn public sentiment to the writers, even though the strike had taken their favorite TV shows and movies off their screens. It was the basis for the 100-day strike’s media strategy, for which I proudly won a Silver Anvil Award for Crisis Communications.

 How to Connect:

Website: www.goldmanpr.net
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sherrygoldman

 

We are very excited to continue our public relations and crisis communications expert interview series with Risa Hoag, founder of GMG Public Relations.

Risa has more than 30 years of experience in public relations and marketing. Prior to founding GMG Public Relations in 1991, she was a Director of Public Relations with Ernst & Young with responsibility for media placement, writing feature articles and press releases, developing and coordinating special events, market research, and the design and placement of advertising.

Risa has been active with numerous not-for-profit organizations. She is a co-founder and the current Vice President of the Greater Nanuet Chamber of Commerce. She serves as President for the Rockland Business Women’s Network (RBWN) and is a board member for Meals on Wheels in Rockland and created and co-chairs their annual gala titled Cornucopia. Risa was selected to be a mentor to female students through The Gerald P. Buccino Center for Leadership Development at Seton Hall University’s Stillman School of Business. She has held numerous board positions with the Westchester Association of Women Business Owners (WAWBO) over a fifteen-year period including President and twice received the organization’s President’s Award. She has also served as Vice President for the WAWBO Education Fund and for the Partnership For A Better Westchester, an organization she helped launch in 1997. She is a past Public Relations Chairperson for the Advertising Club of Westchester as well as a past Vice President of the Tappan Zee International Trade Association. She has served on the board of the Orange & Rockland Community Investment Committee and the Hudson Valley Visiting Pet Program where she did animal-assisted therapy work with her dog Annie, visiting nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and schools where she worked with children helping them learn to read.

Risa is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and a recognized seminar leader, presenting numerous public relations, marketing, and social media workshops. An accomplished business writer and source, Risa has appeared on several radio and television programs and has been quoted and featured in numerous national and local publications. She is the creator and co-host of a show titled The Bigger Picture which highlights Rockland’s hardworking entrepreneurs who find time to give back to the community. She is a member of the 2018 Class of Leadership Rockland and was the recipient of the RBWN Service Woman of the Year Award in 2017. She has also been honored with the 2019 Lillian Vernon Award for Community Service from the Women’s Enterprise Development Center and she received a 2019 Distinguished Service Award from the County of Rockland for her dedication and support of businesses and nonprofit organizations.

What is reputation management? How does it relate to public relations?

Jeff Bezos purportedly said, “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.” I would suggest that you think of your brand and your reputation as one and the same.

Some people think of “branding” or your brand, as your logo, the colors of your website, your iconography, etc. But it is, and should be, way more than that. Your brand is also your reputation. And your reputation is based on everything you do as a company. It is something to be established, built, protected, maintained, and enhanced. And that process happens through public relations as well as everything you project to the public as a company, planned and unplanned.

Your reputation consists of the information you disseminate, the customer service you provide both in person, online, via phone, email, etc. and your company’s ability to react quickly and positively to requests for support. And it is judged on quality, swiftness, and professionalism, both verbally and visually.

Reputations aren’t built in a day, but they can be destroyed overnight. Therefore, a company’s reputation should be carefully maintained, protected, and strengthened. Most companies will go through a crisis of some sort at one time or another and the quality and the strength of your reputation could determine the swiftness with which the company recovers.

What are the biggest PR mistakes you see companies make online? How could these mistakes have been avoided?

First, everyone must be on the same page. And I really mean everyone. From the person or people who answer the phone (and perhaps those people more than anyone) as well as everyone in between and all the way up the line to management, must adhere to the same messaging and principles that the company stands for. Any deviation or crack is a threat to the reputation of the company.

Some of the biggest online mistakes include being tone-deaf to what else is going on in the world or in an industry. If your responses are automated and your emails are pushed out without someone monitoring the process, you risk offending people. This was very true during the pandemic when companies (big and small) found themselves pushing out traditional sales messages at a time when people were suffering from illness and out of work. Someone needs to carefully oversee the automation process and take over if appropriate to say, “this is inappropriate right now, let’s pivot.”

Having someone in charge of your brand voice and therefore your reputation who didn’t get the memo which told them what words to use and what not to use, and having employees who aren’t informed about what not to say, are all a direct threat to the company’s reputation.

There must be a document or a guideline that explains to every employee and even to vendors, what your company stands for and how individuals should respond to anything they may see online. As we know, individual employee responses can now become global news in an instant, therefore be sure to:

• Carefully craft companywide guidelines and/or statements that are distributed to everyone
• Ensure that those guidelines are crafted by people directly involved with the public and directly involved with any issue at hand, not just attorneys or PR people
• Remember that straight-forward transparent communication is key to success

How does social media factor into your reputation management strategy?

Social media is now a critical component of every company’s reputation management and should be built into the strategy.

Again, it should be communicated throughout the company what can and should be said online and what shouldn’t. What can be posted and what cannot. Social media gives us an extremely effective tool that we can use to build up our business or tear it down in an instant. It is a double edge sword to be carefully implemented. When preparing the previously mentioned company guidelines, be sure to include how each social media platform can and should (and shouldn’t be used).

What is the first thing a company should do when there is a crisis online?

A company crisis policy should be developed ahead of any actual crisis. That means convening a crisis task force before you need one. Who should be at that table? Attorneys, PR professionals, management team, front line employees, HR, IT, consumers, customers, vendors, industry experts/consultants…. There should be a deep and thorough thought process that has gone on ahead of a crisis. While we can’t plan for every challenge, we can have a plan in place that at least acts as a blueprint should one arise and can be enacted when needed. Waiting until after there’s a crisis could make for hastier decisions not always in the best interest of the company.

What can employees do to help their company during and after a PR crisis?

Wait for guidelines to be issued from management and for a company’s statement to be released, then share that statement if appropriate. While it might seem obvious, employees should be instructed not to comment to the media. Depending upon the severity of the crisis and the nature of it, the media could station themselves outside of a work location in the hopes of speaking with someone as they leave or enter a building. Be sure that everyone knows that it is inappropriate to comment. That includes texting, speaking with media over the phone, and especially commenting online. The task force or appropriate individual should release guidelines within 24 hours so that everyone is on the same page.

What can senior executives and companies do to better prepare for a PR crisis?

As mentioned, convening a crisis task force and meeting ahead of time, perhaps monthly or quarterly, and discussing potential issues, is one way to address in advance any issues that might arise and have your team better prepared should an issue arise that you didn’t anticipate. Have a preliminary plan in place that addresses steps to take in the event of a crisis and make sure everyone has read it and discussed it and that you have answered any outstanding questions. Fill it in as you go with any new or updated information, and at the very least, update it every six months. Don’t forget to acclimate new employees to the company messaging and guidelines.

Another great strategy is to read and research other companies in your industry; what issues did they face; what did they get right? What did they get wrong? Learn from their mistakes and from their wins.

Is reputation management getting easier or harder? Why?

In some ways it is easier. Companies of all sizes have the ability to quickly respond to basic questions and complicated issues in a broader way and have others share that messaging both inside and outside the company. They also have the ability to reinforce that messaging on a daily basis and to many different audiences. The trick is ensuring that your messaging is consistent across platforms and that everyone is on the same page regardless of the interaction they have with the public. Don’t underestimate the significance of speaking with your entire staff, even if it is only one other person, to make sure that everyone understands the company’s priorities and messaging. Of course, reputation management can be very difficult if you have people bent on bringing you down as they also have access to a wider audience to share their negative information, true or not. Therefore, ensuring that your foundation is strong can help you weather a storm whether it was created by the company or by outside influences.

What has been your biggest PR or crisis communications challenge? How did you handle it?

The biggest PR crisis we have dealt with was when one of our clients was put in a difficult position that ended up offending parents of children with a specific illness. As with most situations, there were two sides to the story, but as you know, it is all about perception. And in this case, the perception was that they did the wrong thing and it was nearly disastrous for them. The parents quickly rallied, hired an attorney, and turned to social media to share their bad experience. Overnight the company, which took great pride in not only providing a wonderful experience for kids and families, but also supporting numerous nonprofit organizations over the years, found itself at the center of difficulty controversy. We worked with one of our partners to gather the parties together, talk it out, find common ground, and come to a good conclusion where everyone benefited, but without question, it would have closed a business with lesser resources. Their reputation went from being the most fun place for kids in the area to a place that was labeled as ‘anti special needs’ – disastrous. All parties learned a great deal from the situation, not the least of which was that regardless of what you stand for, what you have built, and what your company ‘norms’ are, your reputation can be negatively impacted, temporarily or permanently, by one incident. So, planning ahead, communicating to all, and quickly responding to negative circumstances, can save that precious reputation that has taken years to build. Guard it carefully.

How to Connect:

Website:  www.gmgpr.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/risahoag/