Chapter Eleven Crisis Communications and Public Relations Messages McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2014 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

11-2 Learning Objectives LO11.1 Explain how crisis communications and public relations messages impact organizational reputation. LO11.2 Describe the nature of crisis management in today’s organizations. LO11.3 Apply the AIM planning process to crisis communications. LO11.4 Construct effective and responsible crisis messages. LO11.5 Explain how to handle external complaints and negative rumors.

11-3 Learning Objectives LO11.6 Review crisis communications for fairness and effectiveness. LO11.7 Describe the role of public relations messages in today’s organizations. LO11.8 Apply the AIM planning process to public relations messages. LO11.9 Construct effective and responsible public relations messages. LO11.10 Review public relations messages for fairness and effectiveness.

11-4 Crisis Communication Messages  Companies should operate under the assumption that crises will occur  To minimize and correct damage to victims and avoid excessive reputation loss, companies should excel at all stages of crisis management

11-5 The Stages of Crisis Management

11-6 Stakeholder Groups

11-7 Applying the AIM Planning Process for Crisis Communication  Providing victims and other stakeholders with timely and accurate information to avoid further loss is next to impossible without a designated communication plan as part of a larger, regularly updated crisis response plan.

11-8 Applying the AIM Planning Process for Crisis Communication Audience Analysis for Crisis Communications Idea Development for Crisis Communications Message Structure for Crisis Communications

11-9 Types of Crises and Levels of Company Responsibility

11-10 Audience Analysis for Crisis Communications  Crisis communication teams should focus not only on what information to provide but also on how they can show empathy  The success of many crisis messages hinges on the recipients’ emotional reactions to them.

11-11 Idea Development for Crisis Communications  Victim crisis  stakeholders generally do not hold companies responsible  Accident crisis,  stakeholders hold companies responsible but understand that what happened was not intentional and was difficult to foresee

11-12 Idea Development for Crisis Communications  Preventable crisis,  stakeholders believe the company is to blame and is completely responsible for the damages and losses to stakeholders

11-13 Message Structure for Crisis Communications Express concern Explain corrective actions Provide instructions Give an excuse/justification Provide compensation/apology

11-14 Types of Responses in Crisis Communication

11-15 Creating Crisis Messages  Once crisis communication teams have planned their messages, they must act under significant time pressures to compose them.  They must also act quickly to modify them for various media: letters, s, web pages, blogs, texts, radio and television broadcasts,

11-16 Creating Crisis Messages

11-17 Creating Crisis Messages

11-18 Responding to External Complaints and Handling Negative Rumors in the Social Age Gather the facts Avoid heavy-handedness (show of force) Respond quickly Use the appropriate channels Rely on external advocates Respond with credentials

11-19 Reviewing Crisis Messages  During the crisis response stage, you will likely be pressed for time  In these tense moments, rereading your written crisis communications is essential  Pay special attention to accuracy

11-20 Are Your Crisis Communications FAIR?

11-21 The Role of Public Relations Today  In the emerging Social Age, companies are less able to generate predictable media exposure due to the shrinking options in mass advertising, the increasingly fragmented media landscape, and the growing importance of online consumer reviews and activist blogs

11-22 The Role of Public Relations Today  Corporate reputation  an intangible asset that allows the company to better manage the expectations and needs of its various stakeholders, creating differentiation and barriers vis-à-vis its competitors

11-23 Principles for PR Communications  Establish and maintain credible relationships with stakeholders.  Build PR activities around a brand or strategic launch.  Complete full cycles in PR campaigns.  Communicate the good your company does.  Adapt your PR messages to Information Age and Social Age communication channels.

11-24 Gaining Credibility through PR in the Post-Trust Era and the Social Age

11-25 Develop Credible Relationships  Economic responsibility  producing products and services that meet the needs of customers and clients  Ethical responsibility  corporate activities comply with high ethical and legal standards

11-26 Develop Credible Relationships  Social responsibility  companies give back, serve, and meet the social interests of their communities

11-27 Build a Brand or Strategic Promotion  The goal is not just to gain positive public exposure.  Rather, it is to carve out a distinctive corporate reputation for delivering value that is superior to that of competitors

11-28 Complete the Campaign Cycle

11-29 Transition from Information Age PR to Social Age PR  In Social Age PR, business professionals can circumvent the traditional media and use communication channels that more quickly reach stakeholders  In this social media environment, PR professionals will increasingly give stakeholders the opportunity to talk back

11-30 Social Media Teams 1. Develop formal social media policies 2. Monitor internal and external communities 3. Engage online communities 4. Act as first responders by acknowledging mistakes

11-31 Tools for PR Messages: Information Age Audiences and Social Age Audiences

11-32 Audience Analysis for Public Relations Messages As you develop PR messages, answer questions such as the following about each stakeholder group:  How much do they know about your company? How positively or negatively do they view it?  What is their view of your brand value? Are they satisfied with your performance in the following areas: economic responsibility, social responsibility, and ethical responsibility?

11-33 Audience Analysis for Public Relations Messages  From what sources do they get information about you and your competitors?  Through which communication channels can you best reach them?

11-34 Matching Influence Techniques to Public Relations Efforts

11-35 Message Structure for PR Messages  In the press release style, which still accounts for most written PR messages, the main components include a headline, dateline, the story, a boilerplate, and contact information.

11-36 Creating PR Messages  Once you have planned your message, you are ready to write it with a focus on achieving excellence in tone, style, and design.  Because most stakeholders will make rapid judgments and be skeptical of your motives and interests, you want a friendly tone.

11-37 Are Your Public Relations Communications FAIR?