Saturday, June 7, 2008

Public Relations And Crisis Management Considered

Writen by Lance Winslow

When is public relations most critical? Well during crisis mode of course when the client, corporation or public figure is in dire straights and becoming a media football and something must be done quick. But what can you do? If you were at a party and you stuck your foot in your mouth what would you do?

Well it is about the same thing really, you go into crisis mode and cover your tracks or you talk louder than everyone else and force your opinion and perspective based views onto those in attendance. This is one way to handle the situation and often in doing so you can bring another point of view to the table and cloud the issue in all kinds of contrived controversy and actually come out ahead for being in the news for over a week.

Of course this is a risky way to do things. Probably the best way to do things and the safest from a public relations standpoint is to admit fault, apologized and and promise to never do it again. Perhaps even state that you will get counseling or something of that nature.

Of course what if you are a company and the corporation makes a huge boo-boo? Then what you do? Public relations crisis management teams are often pitted against mass media hysteria and they immediately go to work and review the situation, come up with a simple and understandable description of the problem while downplaying its importance and then offer a plausible or deniable reason for the event. Please consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

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