CGM blog: Crisis, what crisis?

03 Jun CGM blog: Crisis, what crisis?

During the Q&A at a recent networking talk an audience member asked me how he could predict a media crisis at his business.

It was an excellent question. I had mentioned media crisis management in my speech and the perils of failing to have a plan in place.

The stakes are high and businesses can fold virtually overnight because they fail to see what is coming and how to respond to a publicised incident that can harm their reputation.

My answer was honest. ‘I don’t know’.

I sensed an immediate shuffle among some delegates. Surely the speaker should have an answer? Then I turned the tables. ‘The more important questions is – do you?’

The shuffle turned into seat squirming contemplation. I sensed most delegates (mainly business owners) didn’t have a crisis plan in place so were seemingly happy to leave the companies they’d carefully nurtured open to fate and fortune.

None of us can predict the future of course – and that’s the point. I didn’t know the questioner’s business so what meaningful on the spot advice could I offer? A glib response would have been daft.

However, with thought, we can anticipate potential problems, scenarios or situations that can harm our business – so then shape an effective plan and appropriate responses to manage and minimise any potential impact.

Media crisis planning means assessing risks in advance and planning to respond… just in case. As army generals say, the best wars are the ones you don’t fight.

There are commonalities – starting maybe with issuing an initial holding statement and informing the parties concerned that you will investigate the matter thoroughly and take appropriate action, if required.

Your plan may involve differing members of staff or professional advisers who should be primed to respond.

In brief, you manage the crisis in order to minimise damage and impact and maybe even turn a negative into a positive.

Media crisis management is a service we offer our clients at Chris Green Media. Having someone who has been on the other side of the fence (an investigating journalist who knows how to dig for information) helps enormously – one of the facets I’d argue that sorts out a good PR company from marketing companies simply with a capability to circulate press releases.

It is also why we run media crisis and reputation management strategy planning training days.

These on-day courses are invaluable to enable business people to shape strategies to cope with a crisis.

Taking time out to think this through – to follow our step-by-step guide, shape their own media crisis plan as the day progresses, experience some real life role play scenarios and discuss issues with other delegates is time well spent. It could just save your business.

For details of CGM’s forthcoming Media Crisis and Reputation Management Strategy training days on June 20 and November 6, 2014 click here

Chris Green is an award-winning author and broadcaster and managing director of Chris Green Media.