Any business knows that no matter what’s going on and how well they are on top of everything, a crisis is never expected. However, how well the business can respond during a crisis always reflects on the public’s perception of the organization in the future, whether in a positive or negative light. The key factor in determining how this reflects on a business in the aftermath of a crisis is how they communicate with the audience once the crisis is over.

Whenever a PR crisis is happening with an organization, everything is disrupted. From the front-line employees to the CEO and the founders, everyone’s attention shifts to dealing with the matter at hand. Nevertheless, if the people in the leadership positions are sharp, they would have already been working with a PR crisis communication team and have legal advisors on-board – all the people that are needed to provide support to the company during a tumultuous time.

Brands need to have a vibrant and active social media presence today. That’s just a fact of doing business in the modern world. However, being on social media comes with both benefits and dangers. The latter includes direct, continual contact with fans and customers. The opportunity to engage, to solve problems, and to influence the narrative about and around the brand in the consumer public.

However, when mistakes are made, all of those benefits can act against the brand, amplifying a momentary lapse and creating a monumental PR crisis. When that happens, the issue should be dealt with carefully and directly… But what comes next? Let’s take a look at how brands should use the tools available on social media to mitigate a PR crisis and move forward to re-establish the brand’s reputation.

Integrated marketing communications take all of the various marketing channels and strategies, interconnects them, and then combines them with one message. Those strategies can include everything from direct mail and public relations to social media and digital.

It’s due to integrated marketing communications that the consumers can have a seamless experience with the organization. Each of the different marketing aspects of a brand are unified so that the communications strategies delivered by the brand are consistent across all of its marketing channels.

It was a headline most people never thought they would read: a national disinfectant brand begging consumers not to inject or otherwise ingest their products. And yet, that’s exactly where the parent company of cleaning brands Lysol and Dettol found themselves after a strange moment in a presidential press conference, during which Donald Trump talked with medical advisors about UV light and disinfectant as options to kill COVID-19.

Given the nature of the exchange, the comments were framed and packaged in many different ways, leading to a wide variety of claims about the comments, some of which could have created PR challenges for disinfectant brands.

Coverage of the ongoing pandemic has taken over the media both traditional and social. For businesses with some good news to share with the world, it can be tough to decide just when and how to tell their story. Traditional tactics such as press releases announcing funding, product upgrades and partnerships can still work, if handled appropriately. There are media outlets, including trades and larger publications that are still interested in “other news,” although only in moderation.

Unfortunately, you only get once true chance to make a big announcement, so doing it right is key. We’ve compiled some things to consider as you prepare.

A newsworthy story generates massive pickup throughout the media. ‘Viral’ would be another word that can be used in place of newsworthy.

In the field of Public Relations, there is one cardinal rule; whatever steps you take in creating spin or buzz, it has to be picked up by the press. All the PR in the world won’t do any good unless people get to see it. Here are the five most important traits in ensuring that your PR efforts are reported far and wide

The reality of coronavirus has left many wondering what the impact will be on different industries. As we battle against the changes COVID-19 has imparted on business practices, it’s more important than ever to put an emphasis on sales. While there are bound to be some financial losses, acting now may make all the difference in your company’s ability to endure. We’ve compiled some considerations for maintaining sales during the crisis.

Take stock of current clients, deals in progress, and your approach to new business outreach. If you’re a consumer brand, take stock of your income, and supply chain to note any current or potential disruptions. Know that at this time, there’s potential to lose a client or two, have a deal fall through, see a decline in sales, or realize your new business efforts are no longer appropriate. If you don’t have a plan in place to deal with any of the mentioned, now is the time to create one. Pay attention to the long term goals of the sales team, are they still realistic or do they have to be adjusted? Have you had to close your stores? Is your website equipped to handle the influx of online traffic as a result?

Many business owners are grappling with having to close offices in response to the global COVID-19 outbreak. These unprecedented measures bring up many questions create many questions. For heads of companies looking for extra guidance during this time, we’ve compiled considerations for how to best handle and communicate office closures.

Communication with employees is extremely important during this time. Be transparent with them about potential office closures, the reason why you’re closing, and when they can expect to be back in office. If you don’t have the answers to these questions, that’s ok. However, be sure to let them know this so they don’t feel they’re being left in the dark.