Aug 7, 2024
This week our host Brandi Starr is joined by John David, a renowned
expert in crisis communications and online reputation
management.
John David is the go-to resource for companies navigating
high-stakes public relations challenges. As the author of "How to
Protect or Destroy Your Reputation Online" and with deep experience
advising organizations of all sizes, he brings unparalleled insight
to the art and science of crisis management in the digital
age.
From handling community opposition to real estate projects to
combating media pressure during legal controversies, John has seen
it all. He's guided major corporations like Delta through turbulent
times and helped countless small businesses weather reputational
storms.
In this episode of Revenue Rehab, Brandi and John delve into the
fundamentals of effective crisis communication. They discuss how
CMOs and marketing leaders can prepare for the unexpected, balance
transparency with reputation protection, and harness the power of
strategic messaging to emerge from crises stronger than ever. Tune
in for John's top tips on developing a robust crisis plan and
preserving your hard-earned reputation when it matters
most.
Bullet Points of Key Topics + Chapter Markers:
Topic #1 Navigating Crisis Communication [08:15]
"The first thing is to gather the facts, develop a messaging
strategy, reach out to your employees, reach out to your customers,
and then handle media inquiries," John David emphasizes. "You need
to have a spokesperson, you need to have a communication team, and
you need to have a media policy in place. Then it's a matter of
triaging the situation and managing communication through various
channels."
Topic #2 Balancing Transparency and Reputation [14:42]
Brandi Starr asks, "How do you balance being transparent and
sharing information with protecting the company's image?" John
David responds, "It's a challenge. You want to be as transparent as
possible, but you also need to protect the company's reputation.
It's a bit like the TV show 'Scandal' where they're always trying
to control the narrative. You need to be strategic about what
information you release and when."
Topic #3 Crisis Preparedness for Small Businesses
[19:57]
"Small businesses are more vulnerable to reputational damage
because negative incidents can quickly spread on social media,"
John David highlights. "It's important to be prepared for various
crisis scenarios, including natural disasters, cyber outages,
embezzlement, workplace violence, and succession issues." Brandi
agrees, expanding the definition of crisis to include unexpected
events or leadership changes that can impact a business's
reputation.
So, What’s the One Thing You Can Do Today?
John David's 'One Thing' is to proactively prepare for potential
crises by creating a media policy and establishing centralized
communication within the company. "Create a media policy, because
most companies don't have them. Figure out who's going to speak for
the company in a crisis. Don't let it be your receptionist. Don't
let it be someone who doesn't have the facts. Figure out what that
chain of communication is and stick to it. Have one voice, one
message.
Buzzword Banishment:
John David's buzzwords to banish are "facilitate" and "empower". He
wants to eliminate these overused terms because, as he puts it,
"Every time I hear facilitate, I think of someone who can't make a
decision." Regarding "empower," John David humorously remarks,
"You're going to empower someone to screw up."
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