Tag Archives: crisis communications

Effective Use of Social Media in Crisis Communications

Posted on January 28, 2011 by | 7 Comments

Allan Schoenberg, director of communications, CME Group, and our most recent guest on #ConnectChat

On the last Tuesday of each month, ProfNet hosts ConnectChat, a monthly series of Twitter chats exploring key communications and media topics. During our most recent ConnectChat, Allan Schoenberg, director of communications for CME Group, discussed the role of social media in crisis communications and how companies can use it to respond quickly to developing crises.

The first step in creating a crisis management plan, said Schoenberg, is by knowing your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats – what he calls “SWOT.” While you won’t be able to prepare for every crisis, knowing your SWOT is a great start.

It’s also important to build relationships across the enterprise — IT, legal, products, etc. Once you get it going, you will learn, change and evolve — “Crisis planning is always in motion,” said Schoenberg — but those relationships will help you, as will the relationships you’ve built with journalists. “A crisis will show if you’ve done your legwork ahead of time. These are long-term relationships — not just when you need them if there’s a crisis.”

In terms of social media, Twitter has become a vital platform in monitoring crises. “The real-time aspect [of Twitter] is a game-changer for PR,” Schoenberg said. “It is also a great platform to communicate during a crisis and talk with stakeholders about what’s going on.”

“When you have messages, facts, stories, etc., use social media to communicate,” he continued. “But it’s social media, so remember to have a plan to take feedback and do something with it.

If you do find that your company is about to get, or already getting, negative publicity, it’s important to act quickly, but thoughtfully. “Confirm all that you can,” advised Schoenberg. “Facts are vital and important.”

Next, get the right spokesperson. “Having the right person speak is absolutely critical and can make all the difference,” said Schoenberg.

Finally, be consistent, “but know that you may have to adapt and change as the story changes. But stay on message.”

Ultimately, you have to know what you stand for as an organization, and always stand behind it. And, above all, remain calm. “It’s easy to overreact, but others are looking to you to get through it,” said Schoenberg. “Be a leader and a voice of reason. That being said, know when you need to kick things into high gear.”

To read the full transcript of our ConnectChat with Schoenberg, visit the ProfNet Connect social network at http://bit.ly/crisischat

Author Maria Perez is director of news operations for ProfNet, a service that helps journalists find expert sources. You can read more from Maria at her blog on ProfNet Connect, a free social network connecting PR professionals, experts and the media: http://www.profnetconnect.com/profnetmaria/blog/

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Be Prepared for Crisis

Posted on December 28, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Crisis Communications is a very hot topic today. As  B2B and B2C companies forge farther into social media, the need to react quickly, decisively, and strategically is becoming one of the most discussed issues by marketing and communications professionals.

This fall,  PR Newswire hosted a Conversation on Crisis Communications in Dallas, TX.  Dallas is home to the largest number of Fortune 1000 companies in the country which makes it one of the top places in the country where communications professionals need this knowledge.  As we wrap up 2010 and polish our plans for the coming year, we thought that revisiting some of the learning from this session would be useful.

The panel discussion was moderated by Michelle Metzger from PierPont Communcations and featured Brandy King from Southwest Airlines; Craig VanBebber from Lockheed Martin, and Allen Manning – Assignment Editor for KTVT-CBS 11 Dallas, and myself (Michael Pranikoff – Global Director of Emerging Media for PR Newswire).

Speed

The panel all agreed that today speed is of importance today. However, it was quickly pointed out that speed doesn’t matter if the communications professional is not prepared and doesn’t have all the facts.  Craig VanBeeber of Lockheed Martin said that today’s communications professional is the most important person in a crisis situation in regards to getting the company message out.  While the Corporate Communications professional may not always be the person in front of the cameras, they are the ones advising and constructing the response.  That person needs to have access to all of the information as quickly as possible to coordinate an accurate and truthful response.

No Comment = Blood in the Water

Gone are the days of the “No Comment” answer.  Today, “…using no comment is like throwing blood into shark infested waters”, said Allen Mannging.  The media wants an answer, and stall tactics like that are going to make the media frustrated and cause them to not value you – the communications professional as a valid source.

Channel Surf

Using multiple channels today is also an important factor.  Southwest Airlines documented how they were able to use all of their available channels, from their spokesperson, to Twitter, their Blog, Facebook page, and more in order to quickly respond to a crisis situation.   Using all of your available channels also helps promote your transparency, attention, and concern in a situation.

Always Be Prepared

Finally, preparation is key in being able to respond quickly and accurately.  To many, this would mean having a crisis communications manual and procedures in place, but it’s a whole lot more than that.  Preparation for a crisis situation is an ongoing target.  We all know that developing key relationships with the local media and other key media points is essential to our jobs.   However, in a crisis situation, those relationships that you have cultivated and maintained will come in to play more than ever.   It is often these relationships that can help you to quickly get your message out that can often avert what may actually not have been a crisis in the first place.

Authored by Michael Pranikoff, director, emerging media, PR Newswire.

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