WASHINGTON — One of the most important things you can do when you learn about a crisis that affects your company or organization is to move quickly to address it. Depending on the nature of the crisis, moving quickly can: 1. Show you know about problem 2. Demonstrate you are trying to take as much control of the situation as possible 3. Help protect the best interests of stakeholders and target audiences 4. Mitigate the impact of the crisis on your organization 5. Provide confidence to…

Three experts on producing and using podcasts shared their insights, perspectives and recommendations last Thursday (Jan. 23) at the first Communicator Professional Development Breakfast of the year put on by the Club’s Communicator Team. I am honored to serve as the chair of the team’s professional development subcommittee this year. Robert Johnson, a partner with the Reister advertising agency, discussed 10 reasons why organizations must have a podcast. Topping the list was that…

Just like an insurance policy, no one hopes that a crisis plan will ever have to be used. But when the need arises, you will be relieved that it is there and available. There are 10 reasons why companies and organizations need a crisis management plan and why they need one now. That’s because when a crisis strikes they should know: What to do Who should do it When to do it Where to do it Why to do it How to do it They also need a crisis plan in order to: Help…

As the former CEO of two trade associations crisis management expert and author Edward Segal knows that it is not a matter of if an organization will have a crisis, but when. That’s why today he recommends companies and organizations follow these three important crisis management New Year’s resolutions in 2020: 1. Prepare a crisis management plan if you do not already have one. 2. Update your crisis management plan if you do have one in place. 3. Conduct crisis exercises and…

Linking announcements to current trends or events in the news can be an effective way to attract the attention of the media and generate positive publicity. A case in point: There is growing interest among the public, local governments, and the business community in abandoning or prohibiting plastic straws that are harmful to the environment and encouraging the use of eco-friendly paper alternatives. Hoffmaster Group, Inc. capitalized on these concerns in a news release about their…