The Internet may have opened worlds for businesses and consumers, but it has also created a public relations nightmare for businesses. Forums, opinion Web sites, blogs, and anything that is publishable can smear a company's name in moments.
Remember, "Yours Is a Very Bad Hotel" presentation that described one customer's bad experience with a hotel chain? Hotels are run by humans. Humans make mistakes. It's how you handle the mistakes that can make the difference in customer service. Since the hotel's employees didn't try to help the customer overcome a bad situation, the customer lashed back and bloggers blogged it.
If the hotel is on top of its game, it would unleash its crisis management (also known as reputation management) team to salvage its reputation while it can. It's possible for a company to overcome bad PR and come out ahead as in the case of PG&E (California's Pacific Gas and Electric company).
Another strategy is to use Internet monitoring to monitor online articles regarding a company's activities to prepare for negative publicity. Some go further and monitor chat rooms, newsgroups, and online discussion forums.
It's like the story of the town gossip who spread false stories about its people. One day, he felt terrible and went to the chaplain [Rabbi, pastor, priest, or other - take your pick] to ask for forgiveness. The chaplain said,"I will forgive you, but you must do something first."
"Take a feather pillow, cut it open, and scatter the feathers to the winds." The man thought this was a strange request, but it was a simple enough task, and he did it gladly. When he returned to tell the chaplain that he had done it, the chaplain said, "Now, go and gather the feathers. Because you can no more make amends for the damage your words have done than you can recollect the feathers."
The same can happen to a company without a crisis management plan in place. It's possible to survive the crisis and thrive as PG&E did. Don't expect Worldcom to pull out of its Enron-like mess. Fraud is not excusable. And Martha Stewart? She has hired a public relations strategist firm in an effort to do damage control. It'll be worth watching to see what happens in her case and how the PR firm attempts to save her reputation. Did you know there is a recall on one of her products? Adds fuel to the fire, doesn't it?
Meryl K. Evans is the Content Maven behind meryl's notes, eNewsletter Journal, and The Remediator Security Digest. She is also a PC Today columnist and a tour guide at InformIT. She is geared to tackle your editing, writing, content, and process needs. The native Texan resides in Plano, Texas, a heartbeat north of Dallas, and doesn't wear a 10-gallon hat or cowboy boots.
When you pay good money for public relations services, you... Read More
Years ago when my Dad owned a group of local... Read More
If you're trying to promote your store, but you don't... Read More
"Cindy, where's that story? I need it yesterday!""Coming right up,... Read More
Ain't a gonna happen unless business, non-profit and association managers,... Read More
What else, for goodness sake, could you as a business,... Read More
You know, where you do something positive about the behaviors... Read More
Business, non-profit and association managers get a ton of satisfaction... Read More
There'll never be a better time for a manager working... Read More
Your boss just stopped by your office. He tells you... Read More
That's like asking if advertising is all about type faces... Read More
School BusesWhen approaching a school bus: Slow down; If the... Read More
Recently I had a craving for... Read More
If you're an online business using public relations (PR) to... Read More
The real public relations geniuses might be managers. You know,... Read More
Things are pleasant for many business, non-profit or association managers... Read More
Have you ever noticed that in communities without big universities,... Read More
For business, non-profit and association managers, is it publicity that... Read More
I heard a speaker recently who was talking about how... Read More
Yes, you can call a reporter.I've said it before, in... Read More
From time to time, people ask me how public relations... Read More
NUMBERS, NUMBERS EVERYWHEREYou just placed a terrific story on the... Read More
If you are in Australia at the moment, it is... Read More
Publicity seekers know that Christmas can provide a bonanza of... Read More
Even after a nice piece in a national publication, or... Read More
How to write a press release is a major challenge... Read More
Everyone has an opinion on something, and you can leverage... Read More
It could, but what if it doesn't?Will you be prepared?Will... Read More
Media relations, simply put, is the business of building and... Read More
During my career as the head of media relations for... Read More
Dear New York Times:I'd like to be quoted in one... Read More
Although, as a business, non-profit or association manager, you may... Read More
What a shame! Potentially productive public relations people resting on... Read More
Recently someone asked me why so many restaurants go out... Read More
It's not unusual for clients of service providers to insist... Read More
Prior to a TV interview it is guaranteed the journalist... Read More
Not a single reporter showed up at our news event.... Read More
If a reporter approached you about an interview, would you... Read More
Something that results in your most important outside audiences doing... Read More
Here are two to-the-point questions recently posed by several association... Read More
Really? You mean there are NO perceptions and behaviors peculiar... Read More
Have you ever gotten one of those letters from your... Read More
OK, as a manager, your goal is to show a... Read More
Most business, non-profit and association managers live to tell about... Read More
In my travels around the country while building my business... Read More
When times are tough, it's no time to ignore those... Read More
Because when it comes to public relations, non-believers can produce... Read More
1) Do you NEED solid, consistant media exposure...week after week,... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, do you see... Read More
Your boss just stopped by your office. He tells you... Read More
Your public relations people are busy. The buzz is all... Read More
In this great country of ours, there are basically three... Read More
So, you've had your book published or you've gone the... Read More
Business, non-profit and association managers are in a stronger position... Read More
Southern grandmothers have often said, "there are only three... Read More
Be a ResourceThe media people that are likely to want... Read More
Think for a moment! If you were to do a... Read More
When your book is mentioned on television, sales go up.... Read More
Yes, that's what public relations really is when it tracks... Read More
Once considered the stepchild of the publishing industry, custom publishing... Read More
You're a business, non-profit or association manager who needs to... Read More
The world has woken up to ethical issues in corporate... Read More
?makes the rules, of course.But when the gold takes the... Read More
Don't assume that a reporter understands financial planning. If anything,... Read More
Publicity is obtaining editorial coverage or features for your business.... Read More
The Key to Great PR is PerseveranceBy Paula Gardner of... Read More
Public Relations |