GOOD PR PRACTICE CAN SAVE SMALL COMPANIES IN CRISIS

The thinking goes that big companies face the most daunting crises, based on sheer size, number of employees and scope of operations.

David Brimm, corporate counselling expert, says even small companies can have big PR problems. Small companies face the same types of crises as large companies: physical damage to the company (flooding, fires, etc.), lost of a large account, quality issues (customer complaints, governmental intervention, recalls, etc.), employee injury or death, corporate malfeasance, and negative media attention.

Brimm suggests that depending on the crisis, it is important to create a plan to address the emergency. As a sole owner with a small staff, you will want to be the point person to demonstrate your personal involvement and concern. Outside public relations counsel will be critical, if the emergency impacts the community and becomes newsworthy.

Brimm who has 25 years of experience in the corporate, agency and association sectors, says whatever the path company takes, it is important to speak as one voice so that the constituents don’t receive confusing or inconsistent information.

He says communication is the key. In a crisis, the first thing to understand is that there are internal and external constituencies. The most important of these is the employees. In a small company, the rumour mill works very quickly. Bad news will likely immediately impact productivity and morale.

In such a situation it is important to meet with every employee as a group so they get the same information at the same time. Brimm says this accomplishes two goals:

·         It stop the rumour mill

·         It creates an atmosphere of trust, so that employees are less likely to spread disinformation about the company and its management.

Brimm points out that this is an important PR tactics to handle crisis situation.

Customers and vendors have to be addressed. The company’s future is tied to those of their customers and vendors. Consequently, any perceived business setbacks will be of great interest. Reassure these stakeholders with information about the crisis, it’s possible duration, and what, if any, impact this might have on the business relationship. There is a need to keep them apprised as conditions unfold.

Talking about the media in such crisis situation, Brimm says if a crisis impacts the community, local news reporters may want to cover the story. It is important that at this point, a single manager is the spokesperson for the company. A spokesperson must be equipped with three talking points (i.e. what happened, what is being done, how long might the situation last).

If there is a concern about public relations strategies, bring in an outside PR consultant to take through the crisis. The PR consultant can bring in an outside perspective and formulate a plan.

Brimm says never say ‘’no comment’’. In a void, reporters will fill in the unknown with their own opinions.

Important suggestion is ‘’Don’t Panic’’. Brimm says the key to addressing a crisis is to approach it with calm and forethought. Think about the options and take the time to formulate a plan. Don’t jump into the fray without a response.

At some time in every business’s future, a crisis will emerge. There is a need to address it with confidence by creating a crisis plan that outlines potential emergencies that could impact business. It may not cover every contingency, but it will be a good starting point.