In a time of crisis, PR is your greatest asset

Guest post by: Kathryn Kates
Become an Author

Free PDF Download
You don’t have to be a rock star to have a great video! - By Kathryn Kates

It’s an inconvenient truth for any business: at some point in your existence, whether it be tomorrow or 20 years from now, you will be faced with a crisis. Some call it Murphy's Law, others sheer bad luck. Whatever you call it, a time of crisis is one of the most defining moments in an organizations history, good or bad.

Crisis in the news

The BP oil spill has brought a lot of attention to organizational crisis recently. The mismanagement of this situation by one of the planet’s largest oil companies is sure to be a case study for PR and business students across the globe for decades to come. The future bright minds of the PR industry will learn best practices from this devastating tragedy, and will be that much better prepared for the inevitable crisis in their professional future.

The role of PR

Crisis is scary, but it gets even scarier when you haven’t planned for it properly. Running an organization of any size involves an extraordinary amount of work, and sometimes things can get missed or put aside. The best way to run an effective company is to have divisions who specialize in the various aspects of operation.

Who specializes in crisis management? You guessed it.

An effective PR professional or team has the know-how and expertise to pull you through a crisis. This is accomplished with

a) A crisis management plan: Regardless of your industry, it never hurts to be proactive. We PR folk are an odd breed, using our imagination to think up likely worst-case scenarios that you never dreamed of. By planning ahead, we can be ready quickly at the time of crisis

b) Crisis communication: When the crisis happens, we know what needs to be said, when, and to whom. Careful but honest communication is the name of the game, and a PR professional can teach the face of the company how to deal with media and public scrutiny.

c) Image rebuilding: a crisis will likely hurt your image, but images can be rebuilt.

Realistic expectations

No PR person can guarantee you that they can “make a crisis go away” or “make everyone forget about it”. That isn’t realistic, and has undertones of dishonesty that no respectable PR professional would condone. What we can promise is that with effective crisis communication you can make the best of a bad situation, and can save face among your important publics.

Crisis Equals Opportunity - Sales and Marketing Training

“Crisis Management Planning – What’s Happening Where We Work?”

Do You Know Where Your Disaster Recovery Plan Is

Rebuilding Your Finances After an Economic Crisis

What Are the Factors That Lead to an Economic Crisis?

My 2013 Market Forecast-How to Make Big Money

The Fundamentals of Crisis Communications

Crisis management in one word: Truth

More Public Relations Advice from the PR Doctor

When Cash Flow Problems Become A Crisis . The Power Of Proper Financing Solutions

Economic Crisis Affects Our Coffee Production Industry

Canadian ABL Loans Are Solutions To A Cash Crisis and Business Growth Financing ! Look Into Business Lending via a Revolver Loan Facility.

Reputation Preservation in a Crisis

Managing Crises Before They Happen

Asset based Financing and Lending Canada – What is it?

Sales Management Training Tips: Sales are down. What can you do?

Asset Sales

Let An ABL Revolver Facility Be Your New Canadian Asset Backed Lending Business Line Of Credit

Asset Based Lending - What you wanted to know and were afraid to ask!

Leverage as the Cause of the Global Financial Crisis

Home > Public-Relations > Kathryn Kates > In a time of crisis PR is your greatest asset > Google +

Free PDF Download
You don’t have to be a rock star to have a great video! - By Kathryn Kates

About the Author: Kathryn Kates

RSS for Kathryn's articles - Visit Kathryn's website

Kathryn Kates, CEO of Kathryn Kates Public Relations a boutique agency based in Oakville, Ontario, Canada--catering to the North American market. Kathryn opened a full service PR firm and talent agency over 20 years ago, and later worked as a journalist and broadcaster. Today, Kathryn works on both sides of the communications spectrum...opening doors wherever she goes. Kathryn has a proven track record in public relations. She's shown her natural ability to create "buzz" by combining imaginative and innovative ideas with detail-oriented implementation. By effectively leveraging her extensive media, business and community contacts, Kathryn offers businesses results-oriented solutions to public relations. Kathryn has the capabilty to implement unique initiatives that significantly increase client awarness and image through the media. She's able to integrate media strategies with business issues - understanding the big picture while working with details. Kathryn has a positive, can-do attitudewith a strong sense of urgency and personal responsibility, and a talent for simplifying concepts and tailoring messages for specific audiences. Telephone: 905-849-5639.

Click here to visit Kathryn's website.

More from Kathryn Kates
Meaningful Message Personalized PR
In a time of crisis PR is your greatest asset
If people know it is PR will it work
Dont Read the News Be the News
Choosing the Right PR Firm For You

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Share this post and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

In a time of crisis, PR is your greatest asset

Related Articles

Related Forum Posts

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.


Name:
Email: