The fact is that a business can face a crisis. The question is when, and will yours be prepared?
Some are big crises, others small, but remember that reporters follow police, fire and ambulance reports. The media may know of a crisis before you do and may be first on the scene.
This means that you, the business owner, must be proactive when facing a crisis.
One of any organization’s most valuable assets is its confidence and credibility with the news media. Even with today’s immediate access to information, the public believes news stories. This is as true with routine news as it is in emergencies, crimes or controversy.
As a society, we give reporters the right and responsibility to keep us informed. They will get the story. It’s up to you how that story is told.
You can help them do a good job and so help your organization. Probably the most important job the corporate communicator has in working with media is to get the facts to the media as quickly as is humanly possible. They always are “on deadline.”
Recognizing the value of being proactive, rather than reactive, is the basis of good crisis communication. Being proactive means not waiting for the media to call you. You call them with good and bad news. Attempts to suppress bad news almost invariably lead to more bad news. Rumors usually are far worse than the facts published or aired.
Taking the initiative and calling the media also is helpful because it allows you to emphasize positive points, increasing the probability of a fair and balanced story. Don’t leave your story to another, say a competitor, who isn’t likely to do you any favors.
Old-fashioned honesty is the best policy in dealing with the media. Reporters are quick to suspect falsehoods. When you don’t cooperate, rumor and innuendo become prominent, and these stories tend to linger and/or receive more attention.
Reporters are like elephants; they are demanding, can hurt you and have long memories. Don’t try to fool them. If you are not honest with them, they will remember it and distrust you. Trust in a crisis is vital to minimize damage to your company’s reputation.
Recognize that the news media is your door to the general public; reporters’ news stories are more believable than your website or blog. Your job is to help them do their jobs well.
Julie Guillebeau is an adjunct faculty member at Drury University, a freelance corporate communicator and has experience as a print and broadcast reporter in Missouri and Georgia. She can be reached at jgg@drury.edu.
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