60 Minutes is Knocking
Communicating in a Crisis
Part Nine in a Continuing Series on PR Strategy and Tactics for Healthcare IT Marketers
Despite the best-laid plans, a sudden disaster challenges PR pros to do their best thinking on their feet. The stakes are highest in the first few hours because the initial media coverage creates perceptions that linger. Let's discuss crisis communications with insights drawn from the Schwartz Communique newsletter.
Communicating information in a crisis is never as easy as it sounds, primarily because the information itself is often scarce. This leaves corporate and PR pros in a sticky situation, trying to satiate a hungry media with little to offer.
We at Schwartz have had first-hand PR experience with crisis communications. One powerful example was the aftermath of an explosion and fire at a plant owned by West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. By responding quickly, compassionately and responsibly to this terrible accident, we were able to help West weather a difficult time for the families of those hurt, the employees and the company itself. The West team stayed focused on three guiding principles throughout the ordeal:
Be Compassionate - In a crisis involving injury or potential loss of human life, communicating concern for life and safety is the overriding priority. While hard facts may be scarce, one doesn't need any information in order to convey a company's humane values in the initial press reports of an unfolding situation. A clear statement regarding the sanctity of human life and well-being delivered directly by the CEO is a necessity in such a crisis. Having an inventory of stand-by statements can help, but it's the role of the CEO to put a human face on the corporation through live interviews. If the CEO is physically unavailable due to air travel or other barriers, then a written proxy statement should be issued immediately and followed by a live CEO media availability as soon as it can be arranged.
Respond Rapidly - Despite the lack of information in the immediate onset of a crisis, the instantaneous wave of news cycles is unrelenting and must be fed because stories will appear-with or without you. To ensure that the first wave of stories conveys the company's voice and values, rapid response is required in order to effectively penetrate the immediacy of "surround sound" broadcast coverage and the morning newspapers. A key media target for this is the Associated Press because of its broad reach and "deadline every minute" perspective. In many crisis situations, broadcast is also a key outlet, so it's advisable to initially organize a media availability either at the company's headquarters or at the site of the disaster. Also, depending on the scope of the crisis and where the event falls in the news cycle, plan to work through the night to schedule CEO interviews with the local and national morning news shows. This will help keep the message of concern for human life and safety central to the story throughout the day.
Rapid response also means timely response to every single press inquiry, never overlooking the local media. Long after the first 48 hours of a crisis, a local newspaper can have as much-or more-impact on the company's situation as a national magazine.
In the case of the West Pharmaceutical factory accident, the sheer volume of media inquiries prevented Schwartz from handling all of them at the same time, so an inquiry database was created and it was requested that all reporters issue their questions via email to maximize the efficiency and accuracy of response. We responded quickly and accurately to everybody, and as a result were almost always given the benefit of the doubt in the ensuing months of the crisis and its aftermath.
Be Accurate and Responsible - Even when hindered by lack of information, public relations professionals can challenge the media to be scrupulously accurate in their reporting. Often the initial few hours of a crisis are marked by speculation, faulty eye-witness accounts and exaggeration of injury and death counts. The reasons vary: different first responders may supply different counts of the victims, sometimes eyewitnesses think they heard a plane crash when they may have heard an explosion, and so on. But no matter the situation, remain insistent on first obtaining hard facts and encourage the media to do the same. While many reporters may be initially frustrated by what they perceive as unwillingness to provide information, they will later appreciate that the approach ensures accuracy.
In the months that unfolded since the beginning of the West crisis, we moved from rapid response to mourning to investigations to recovery. A month later the company and the local community broke ground for a new factory that put people back to work.
Every crisis is different and there are no sure-fire communications formulas for public relations success. However, these guiding principles can help minimize chaos, protect a company's reputation and ultimately reassure all key constituents that their interests are being fairly and effectively addressed. It is critical to begin applying these principles without hesitation during the first moments of a crisis, regardless of a lack of information. A corporate reputation may take years to build, but it can be irreparably tarnished in a single news cycle.
For more PR strategy and tactical advice, please click on the "PR Strategy and Tactics" category to the right.
Posted by Shawn Whalen on March 6, 2007 at 4:33 PM
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