Obama’s leadership is no “how to” class In hard times, people turn to their leaders. For a business, this means the CEO, in the United States, it is the President. Even in the midst of a crisis, strong leadership can empower followers and turn things around. Unfortunately, Barack Obama has, at …
UnGoogle Yourself
Not everything on the Web is forever The general theory held by most people is that once something is published on the Web, it is all but impossible to remove. While this is true much of the time, in some cases you can actually modify or wipe damaging search results, …
Mayo Clinic Crisis Management
Active social media use makes crisis commmunication easier The pages of this blog are filled with examples of what not to do, where crisis management has steered off course or just gone bad. That’s not the whole picture though, there are organizations out there that get it, and put “it” …
Commandments of Social Media
Social media brings new crisis management concerns Social media is still evolving, but there are certain rules that will help lead you to success. In a recent article, published on Ragan.com, social media expert Priya Ramesh listed her “10 Commandments of Social Media.,” a primer on social media crisis management. …
BIMBOs R Us
Saying the wrong thing during a crisis can make your organization look foolish Filled with quotes wherein “the speaker causes the listener to believe exactly the opposite of what was said,” Merrie Spaeth’s “Bimbo Awards” are a who’s who of bad crisis management. With the recent release of the “Bimbo …
Crisis Manager Newsletter
Not Smart Business & Social Media Policy The newest edition of our Crisis Manager newsletter is up now on the BCM website! This time around we get started with a piece by frequent contributor and reputation management expert Jeff Chatterton, of Checkmate Public Affairs. His article, a case history of …
No Lap Dance for Santa
Strong social media crisis communications prevents a major boycott Harvey Norman nearly had a very unhappy Christmas. The retail chain, one of Australia’s largest, recently ran an ad campaign that had consumers up in arms, but thanks to an alert social media team and responsive execs, the problem was resolved …
Forewarned is forearmed
Paying attention to rumors will give you a leg up in crisis management While every business will experience crises, some are more likely to be thrust into the public eye as a result. Government contractors are certainly in that category, and as result must take extra care certain to have …
Responding to Social Media Complaints
Engaging in social media requires a crisis management plan Brands are now expected to build social media communities but, especially because many are still unfamiliar with the territory, there are risks involved. One of these is the unavoidable fact that someone, somewhere, will eventually be unhappy with your organization and …
A Delicate Balance
Don’t let legal concerns dominate your crisis management planning In today’s litigation-happy world, chances are you will need at least one lawyer on your crisis management team. The problem is that in a crisis, this legal influence frequently clashes with one of the main priorities of crisis managers; communication. In …
Carnival’s Crisis Management
Good crisis management planning can carry you through a difficult situation Any travel-related business holds inherent risks, it’s just the nature of the industry. Political situations change, weather doesn’t take requests, and even the best kept machines break down from time to time, as in the case of Carnival cruise …
Image and Crisis Management
How the public perceives your organization can make or break you in a crisis Image is very important in preserving reputation during and after crises. Because of this, it’s important to evaluate your crisis management strategy not from the perspective of the company CEO, but that of your average stakeholder. …
The Sincerity Bar
The scene is all too familiar – a CEO or top company spokesperson at a podium with microphones splayed in front, offering a scripted statement of apology. It’s become somewhat routine, and yet it’s a critical step in recovery. But just how much weight does that statement carry? Imagine a …
Unpopular Practices
When you are forced to defend an unpopular practice, solid crisis communication is key. Many business have a good chance of finding themselves in the position of defending some sort of unpopular practice. In a recent article from his Monday Morning Media Minute newsletter, PR expert Jerry Brown gave an …
New Crisis Manager
Another new Crisis Manager newsletter is up on the BCM website! This week we feature articles from two different PR experts about issues that many crisis management professionals face. First up, a piece by Spanish PR pro Carlos Victor Costa that describes valuable lessons learned from the BP spill regarding …