Alabama PRSA

8/22/2019 Alabama PRSA

1/21

Protecting Your

Reputation and Brand

In the Crisis You Never

Expected

Laura Howe

@infobabe


2/21

A lie will travel half way around theworld while the truth is putting itsboots on.

-Mark Twain

0r-C.H. Spurgeon (1859)

or

-Portland, Maine

Gazette (1820)

American Red

Cross


3/21

What is Your Goal in a Crisis?

Contain

Mitigate

Improve


4/21

The Wild, Wild West of Media


5/21

A Changing News World

Fewer resources in traditional news organizations

+

more demand for content

+

more outlets producing information products

=

More people working with less editorial oversight


6/21


7/21


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Everybodys a Reporter


9/21

Three Pillars of Good CommunicationStrategy

Proactive

Communications

Reactive

Communications

Interactive

Communications


10/21

Know Your Playing Field

22%

18% 18%

24%

16%

30%

26%25%

18%

14%

26%

15%

23%

20%

13%

4%

1% 1%

3%2% 1%

0% 0%

2%1%

0%1%

2% 2% 2%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Sept '06 Jan '07 Nov '07 Apr '08 Sep '08 Jan '09 Nov '09 Jan '10 Nov '10 Jan '11 O ct '11 Jan '12 June '12 Nov'12 Jan'13

Much More Favorable Much Less Favorable

Did the information that you saw, read or heard give you a more favorable or less favorable impression of the

American Red Cross or did it have no impact on your opinion of the American Red Cross?

Target is to hold much less

favorable stories at or below1%.

Proactive


11/21

Have a Plan

1) Know Your Critics and Your Supporters

Proactive


12/21

Have a Plan

2) Know and Anticipate Your Problem Areas

3) Message For Those Before the Problem Happens

Proactive


13/21

Have a Plan

4) Have a place where you can tell your positivestory without the filter of the media

Proactive


14/21

Law of Proportionate Response

You control your response

Not everything requires your response

Not everything requires your response on

camera or a direct quote from a spokesperson Just because the media asks for an interview doesnt

mean you have to give them one

Sometimes the best response is in writing-statements, truth matrix

Sometimes its not a media problem

Not everything requires a response from yourprinciple

Reactive

Contain, Mitigate or Improve Your Situation


15/21

Social Is the Canary in the Coal Mine

Interactive


16/21

Make it Part of Your Organizations DNA

Establish your social program before the crisis

Be fast and nimble

Train other people in your organizationEngage, engage, engage

Have a system to get situational awareness to your

decision makers


17/21

Over 2.5 millionposts pulled in for review 2,386 responses sent to members of the public 31 trained digital volunteers 229posts about needs in affected areas sent to operations team Over 1,900 pieces of social content

Social during Sandy


18/21


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21/21

In Summary

Contain, Mitigate, Improve

Proactive, Reactive, Interactive

Documents

Alabama PRSA