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 …
Crisis Communications Revealed
Professional finds new resource for crisis management insights Unless you have young ones in the home, you probably haven’t read a book report for years. Well, that’s about to change, because Public Information Officer trainer and consultant Karen Terril discovered a book that spoke so clearly on the issue of …
Zombie Attack!
Wifi connectivity makes it easier than ever for computer security to be compromised Never before have we experienced the level of connectivity that even the average person can now access. There are wifi networks broadcast by nearly every type of business, from laundromats and motels to coffee shops and entire downtown …
Controlling Crisis Communications
Social Media can be an ideal way to carefully distribute your message Social media is still evolving, and as it does new platforms and uses continue to emerge. Many of its applications are perfect for communication, and as a result popular services like Twitter and Facebook are used heavily by …
Crisis Manager Ezine Feature Public Information And The Unthinkable
Crisis management advice from professionals A new Crisis Manager is out, and with it comes another pair of superb guest articles. First off, Public Information Officer trainer and consultant Karen Terrill talks about a book that perfectly describes why some are able to survive crises while others are torn apart. …
Chile Turns Tragedy to Success
Solid crisis communications can do wonders for reputation in a crisis As with many crises, the story of the Chilean miners, trapped for months underground while rescuers slowly burrowed through the earth attempting to reach them, could very well have been a tragic one. Throughout it all, the Chilean government …
The Power of Social Media
Social media holds more power than ever when it comes to communication. The web is a social instrument. It always has been. Now, more than ever, there are clearly defined tools — mechanisms that enable you and me to share, post, respond, comment, and connect to our community or other …
Delta Ad Nix Causes Crisis
Baggage fees are a fact of life when flying these days, and while airlines claim to need the extra money to survive in a struggling economy, the practice is clearly not popular with the public. Travel clothing maker ScotteVest recently tried to run an ad in Delta’s own Sky Magazine that …
Cyber Storm
The federal government is taking advantage of crisis simulations to strengthen cyber security In places like Arlington, Va.; Washington, D.C.; across the U.S. and around the world, a global cybersecurity exercise is underway designed to test the limits not only of the “network of networks,” but the ingenuity of the …
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 …
Changing Ways
Until recently, large corporations with a prestige in certain niches used to avoid using the term “PR.” They’d use “corporate communications” or “marcom” to describe the management function of initiating activities directed at building relationships with their different publics. They found PR to be something to avoid, or as something …
Crisis Leadership
An organization’s leadership plays a huge role in crisis management. We saw this first hand with the BP oil spill, a mess that only got worse as CEO Tony Hayward continued to deliver damaging quotes to the press. In an article for our Crisis Manager newsletter, Spanish PR pro Carlos …
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 …
Social Guidelines
While the steps and theory involved in using social media for crisis management are a frequent topic on this blog, it is just as important to control who is interacting with your stakeholders and in what manner. In a recent article for the Social Media Examiner, Cindy King offered a …
Ready to Engage
As news headlines show us on an almost daily basis, many companies still neglect to prepare detailed and workable crisis plans, hindering their ability to react when disaster rears its ugly head. If your organization believes itself ready to actively engage in crisis management, go through this list of questions …