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 excellent example involving Cotter Corp., a Denver-based mining company, which reportedly defied state orders to clean its mine or pay fines for failing to do so:
The state claims radioactive water in the mine is a threat to Ralston Creek and Denver’s Ralston Reservoir. The company claims there’s no threat.
Cotter has a right to make its case for why there’s no threat to water outside the boundaries of its mine. Sometimes companies find themselves in the position of having to defend unpopular positions. In fact, defending unpopular positions is an important part of public relations.
If you need to defend an unpopular position, it’s a good idea to start by telling the rest of us why you aren’t putting us in danger. Cotter has failed to do that. And Cotter made the situation worse by defying orders to fix the alleged threat.
In refusing to communicate or enter the legal arena, and instead simply not paying fees meant to protect local residents, Cotter instantly cast itself as a villain in the public eye. Already suffering from significant reputation damage, Cotter needs to shift into crisis management mode and do the right thing, quickly.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/