4 Useful Tips For When The Media Is Reaching Out To You

Posted on: 05, Aug 19

Erik Bernstein crisis communications

  Reporters and media of all kinds are inevitable sources of stress for many crisis management situations, but that doesn’t mean it’s healthier to shut them out. With the modern 24/7 news cycle and literally millions of places for information to be shared even small issues often mean contacts from …

Media Training Tips: Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes

Posted on: 28, Jan 18

Erik Bernstein media training Leave a Comment

Empathy is key to reaching your target audience Have you ever tried to resolve an argument with a loved one without acknowledging their feelings first? Have you ever started apologizing, only to be told, “That’s not even what upset me in the first place!”? Doesn’t work too well, right? Despite all …

Why your official spokesperson isn’t the only one who needs media training

Posted on: 26, Sep 17

Erik Bernstein media training Leave a Comment

Is a lack of preparedness for media interest leaving you vulnerable to crisis? So you have an official spokesperson and they’re media trained to the point that they’d get your message across no matter what the situation. That’s a valuable asset to be sure. But, are they the only one …

The Price of Losing Your Cool

Posted on: 27, Apr 15

Jonathan and Erik Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, Crisis Prevention, Erik Bernstein, Jonathan Bernstein, public relations, reputation management Leave a Comment

Flipping out is not an option Composure is everything, and whether you’re a public figure or an ordinary Joe, blowing up in front of anyone with a recording device can quickly make you headline material. The Cincinnati Reds have been having a tough time recently, and manager Bryan Price finally lost …

The State of the Media

Posted on: 18, Apr 15

Jonathan and Erik Bernstein crisis management, crisis public relations, Erik Bernstein, Jonathan Bernstein, media crisis management, media relations, media training, public relations, reputation management Leave a Comment

Staying on top of changes in media is a must Knowing how to work and optimize contact with the  media is crucial in any type of public relations. This isn’t like riding a bike, however. You need to constantly be educating yourself on the latest changes if you want to …

Ferguson Chief’s Crisis Management Comes Late

Posted on: 26, Sep 14

Jonathan Bernstein communications, crisis communication, crisis communications, crisis management, crisis public relations, Crisis Response, Erik Bernstein, Jonathan Bernstein, law enforcement crisis management, media relations, media training, public relations, reputation management 3 Comments

Is this a sign of hope for resolution, or just smooth PR? The handling of Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson, Missouri has been characterized by poor communication, over-reaction, and the creation of an “us vs. them” attitude. Today, in a move that comes far too late but also sparks hope …

Crisis Management Infographic: The 3 C’s of Credibility

Posted on: 10, Mar 14

Jonathan Bernstein communications, crisis communication, crisis communications, crisis management, crisis management expert, crisis management tactics, crisis management training, crisis preparedness, Crisis Prevention, crisis public relations, crisis resources, Crisis Response, crisis training, Erik Bernstein, infographic, Jonathan Bernstein, media crisis management, media relations, PR, PR resources, public relations, reputation management 6 Comments

Not sure why your crisis communications aren’t having the desired effect? You could be missing one of these vital components. It’s hard to read the headlines without seeing a crisis or two, and, except in rare cases, they all require a response. These responses take many forms – press releases, …

Lululemon’s CEO: The Nightmare Spokesperson

Posted on: 10, Nov 13

Erik Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, Crisis Prevention, crisis public relations, Crisis Response, Erik Bernstein, Jonathan Bernstein, media crisis management, media relations, media training, public relations, reputation management 1 Comment

We don’t envy the crisis management team in this case Some people simply should not act as spokesperson for your organization. Unfortunately, when that person is your CEO, dissuading them from granting interviews may be difficult at best. Lululemon’s CEO Chip Wilson landed his company, which is still in recovery …

The Advantages of Multimedia Crisis Management

Posted on: 30, Oct 13

Jonathan Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, crisis public relations, Crisis Response, Erik Bernstein, Jonathan Bernstein, media crisis management, media relations, online crisis management, online reputation management, PR, public relations, reputation management, social media crisis management, social media reputation management Leave a Comment

Try a multimedia approach to help your crisis communications grab stakeholder’s attention Let’s be realistic – ANY communication you’re putting out these days is just a drop in the Internet Sea. How can you help ensure people, and specifically your stakeholders, receive and understand your message in a crisis situation? …

L.A.’s DWP – How NOT to Handle the Media

Posted on: 11, Oct 13

Erik Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, Crisis Prevention, crisis public relations, Crisis Response, Erik Bernstein, Jonathan Bernstein, media crisis management, media relations, PR, public relations, reputation management Leave a Comment

Communicating with media is a crucial crisis management skill Once upon a time, the thing to do when you came under scrutiny was batten down the hatches and avoid discussing the matter altogether. We’ve long since moved past that school of thought, but unfortunately many organizations insist on doing things …

How NOT to Deal with the Press

Posted on: 20, May 13

Erik Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, Crisis Prevention, crisis public relations, Crisis Response, Erik Bernstein, Jonathan Bernstein, media relations, PR, public relations, reputation management Leave a Comment

Neglecting an important aspect of crisis management creates unnecessary risk As the leader of an organization, you should expect to be talking to the media on a regular basis. Apparently, John Tortorella, coach of the NHL’s N.Y. Rangers, missed the memo on that one, because he REALLY hates press conferences, …

Crisis Management Tactics: Control Your Story

Posted on: 20, Apr 13

Erik Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, crisis preparation, Crisis Prevention, crisis public relations, Crisis Response, Erik Bernstein, Jonathan Bernstein, PR, public relations, reputation management Leave a Comment

Be the source of information and stop damaging rumor and innuendo in their tracks A huge part of successful crisis management is finding, or creating, the opportunity to tell your own story. Why, you might ask? The main reason is that it’s going to be told either way, and if …