| Crisis Management is just that – the | | | | So what do you do? This is where the |
| management of a crisis. It actually puts attention | | | | creativity comes in. Obviously the manufacturing |
| on the crisis. As much as a corporation or | | | | plant has been doing proactive things for their |
| organization would like to avoid a PR fiasco, a PR | | | | employees up until that point – they erected a |
| campaign that only puts attention on mitigating | | | | park, didn’t they? Well, what about that |
| the damage is only going to put more attention | | | | story? Who is the founder? What was his/her |
| on the fact that there is or was damage. | | | | vision for the factory? What are their secrets |
| Let’s put it in a different light. Say there is a | | | | to expansion? What precedents have they set |
| well-established manufacturing plant that backs up | | | | in their industry? Do they have industry leading |
| to a beautiful greenbelt, and the factory workers | | | | advice they can impart? Who is amongst them |
| eat their lunch in a park that the factory had | | | | that are long-time employees? How many |
| developed for their employees to enjoy. The | | | | long-time employees do they have? What |
| workers loved it and over time started feeding | | | | community service work do they do? If they |
| the wildlife that lived in the wooded area and then | | | | are a young company, then what is their niche? |
| one day, accidentally, one of the workers gets bit | | | | What opportunities have they created for young |
| by a raccoon. | | | | professionals? I mean the list goes on and on |
| You can see where this is going… a PR | | | | and on. The possibilities are endless of what can |
| nightmare to say the least. The rumor | | | | be done to create more goodwill than that one |
| mongering could be horrendous. Rabies, missing | | | | incident can take away. |
| digits, wildlife gone bad… The company should | | | | The point is that you should never focus only on |
| take the bull by the horn and do everything they | | | | the negative. Make some lemonade. Address |
| can to help that worker, that family and even get | | | | concerns, but outdo any negative news with |
| a team of zoologists out there to segregate the | | | | positive news WHILE working to handle, control |
| park from the woods and start an entire | | | | and mitigate the negative. Take responsibility |
| educational process for the employees to not | | | | while letting your customers, shareholders, |
| feed the wildlife. That’s step one. | | | | employees, community and the media know what |
| But for Pete’s sake, don’t take the | | | | you stand for, what your accomplishments are |
| mediocre stance of figuring out how to craft | | | | and what is in store for your (and their) future. |
| messages about what to say in regards to any | | | | You can take some very dire situations and turn |
| questions or attacks the company could get | | | | them into a positive light for a corporation… you |
| about their park or factory being unsafe. Why | | | | just need to know how to harness the powerful |
| pour salt on the wound? The more the | | | | technology of public relations to communicate |
| company puts out statements that the factory is | | | | what you are really all about. Because what |
| safe, what do you really think is going to be | | | | you’re really all about is not rabies… get my |
| formulating in people’s minds? Exactly. | | | | drift? |
| That it’s not safe. | | | | |