The Public Relations Blog

Before your next public event or speech, consult with PR

Dr. Ben Carson is widely considered to be one of the more likeable and honest of the Republican candidates running for president. Nonetheless, his ride has not been completely smooth. The media is now accusing him of lying and exaggerating his credentials.

This kind of allegation is damaging, whether you’re a candidate for the country’s top job or CEO of a corporation. Using PR tools and tactics can help get you out of this type of crisis, but only if they are done correctly.

Late Friday night, when gunfire and blasts took the lives of at least 128 people in Paris, the world turned to social media for updates on the tumultuous situation. Among the tweets of condolence, sadness and worry, there was the occasional corporate tweet about products, the sporadic blogger pushing his posts and some of the usual whimsical content you find on Twitter.

While social media is a fun way to connect with consumers and prospects, it’s also a source for news and community-building during times of tragedy.

How Turing Pharmaceuticals’ Martin Shkreli and others can climb out of a PR nightmare

Imagine this: A crisis is brewing over your company’s perceived lack of compassion for your customers. To make things worse, a top executive is quoted in major media outlets saying that the company will do little (or nothing) to change.

You don’t need to imagine it; you can read all about it in the news coverage of Turing Pharmaceuticals’ CEO, Martin Shkreli, who decided to drastically increase the cost of a life-saving drug from $18 to $750 a pill. However, there are ways for this company – and others in a similar situation – to recover from such a fiasco with help from PR.

You can’t control it so let PR show you how to best prepare for it

Severe thunderstorms and heavy winds strike when you least expect them. Potential hurricanes and flooding, which can occur anytime from June to November, are a yearly threat. Lightning that strikes with or without rain is especially troublesome. Tropical storms can ruin anyone’s best-laid plans. Is your company ready?

Mother Nature can be both splendid and cruel, and many companies may find themselves in crisis due to her whims. While we are ultimately at her mercy, we don’t have to stop creating events and programs. Your company can weather any storm with the right foresight, and planning and PR can help.

From CEOs to entertainers, take steps to protect your privacy

People often believe that once a patient is in the public domain of a hospital, the media can access any information about the individual. This is not true. The American Hospital Association has guidelines for releasing patient information to the media.

When United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz was hospitalized after a heart attack, the media found out quickly. Once the news of Munoz’s hospitalization went public, United Airlines’ stock price dropped.

Your company could face a slew of negative effects if the media finds out that your high-level executive was admitted to the hospital. Here are five tips you need to know in order to take control of the situation before it takes control of you.

Hospitalization could cost your company more than you think

United Airlines’ newly named CEO Oscar Munoz – immediate past COO of CSX – was admitted to the hospital on Oct. 15, following an alleged heart attack. It happened just 39 days after he took the position. The company’s prior CEO resigned in September in the shadow of a possible bribery scandal. Now, United Airline’s image is suffering even more thanks to the publicity of Munoz’s hospitalization.

When media learned about Munoz’s hospital admittance, the news spread quickly.

Let PR show you how you can benefit from disaster

President John F. Kennedy remarked, “When written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.” A crisis typically indicates that something was wrong and has now reached the stage where you can no longer ignore it. Still, it is also a chance to make changes and make things right.

After a crisis, you must quickly assess the situation and determine what you can learn from it. PR can help with this process.

How your company should respond to a social media attack

A great illustration of mob mentality is the scene in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast when the townspeople amass and call for the Beast’s head. Can you imagine what that would be like today if the mob flocked to social media and the Beast was a company that people felt had “wronged” them in some way? The Beast would have a sea of virtual torches and pitchforks at his company’s door. Without a PR firm, that business could be doomed.

Navigating social media and the public can be tricky. A single negative post concerning even a well-established company can go viral in an instant.

Martin Shkreli, CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, has the unique, highly intelligent and egotistical personality type some dub as a “cavalier CEO.”

A public relations professional’s job, like many others, comes with various stressors and road bumps that we must sensitively navigate to benefit the greater good. On the red carpet, few see the sweaty PR pro lugging mountains of company collateral, promotional swag and schedule binders to a trade event. Our jobs aren’t always glamorous and are frequently littered with deadlines, quick-turn requests and, of course, constant rejection from media.

Hint: You may need PR more than you realize

Today, your time will likely be filled with meetings with your direct reports to discuss matters of company performance, sales and finance. You may meet with prospective clients, sit in on a team-building session and try to squeeze in some personal and family time. This doesn’t leave much time to focus on PR.

If you think your business-to-business tech company doesn’t need PR, you are missing out on key opportunities to boost your visibility and grow your business.