Maggie Hill’s Post

When someone asks me what I do for a crust and mention the words "crisis comms" their answer, invariably, is "ohhhh, what's that?!". The Wikipedia description of crisis communication is that it's a sub-specialty of the #publicrelations profession designed to protect and defend an individual, company, or organisation facing a public challenge to its reputation. But that's not how I'll ever explain it to someone who knows nothing about crisis comms. So, in plain English, it’s about helping you keep yourself out of the proverbial in the first place, or if you're already in the midst of a 💩 storm, a #crisiscomms professional is gonna help you navigate the storm with the aim of minimising the fallout in terms of reputation, your people and your back pocket. We get your messaging sorted, work out who and where we need to share those messages with, deal with media on your behalf, coach you before an interview, and keep track of how things are unfolding so we can respond and plan accordingly. And after the worst is over, I help people understand what they can learn from the crisis and changes they can make. We might put together a long-term comms, PR and engagement plan to help repair relationships and earn back trust and credibility with the people and organisations that matter.canva The next question that follows my explanation is always: "Ohhhh what kinds of crises have you dealt with?". And boy oh boy, have there been many doozies! If walls could talk!

"The best outcome is when no one even knows there’s a problem," Del Percio states bluntly. Her approach to crisis management focuses on keeping high-stakes issues out of the public eye, a service she says her clients demand. "My clients are the ones you’ve never heard of because we kept their crises under wraps." Del Percio doesn’t just talk about crisis communications—she embodies it. Her unexpected shift from behind-the-scenes strategist to a media presence has become a key asset for clients. https://bit.ly/4eF10TS #CommPRO #PR

When the headlines aren’t in your favour, how you respond can make all the difference. Imagine this: a national journalist uncovers a story involving your business—one that could be splashed across every platform within 24 hours. The phone rings, and they’re asking for your comment. What do you do? In crisis communications, our role shifts from building your brand to defending it. We step into the journalist’s shoes, assess the potential impact, and help you navigate the storm—whether that means crafting a strategic response or advising that the best course of action is no action at all. Read our latest blog by Ian Johnson to explore how expert crisis communications can protect your reputation when it matters most. #CrisisCommunications #BrandProtection #HarveyandHugo #PRStrategy #CrisisManagement https://lnkd.in/ehhUYvRa

You’ve got your crisis communication strategy in place.   You know who your spokespeople will be. And you’ve tested your crisis comms plan.   But have you thought about how to manage yourself, and lead your team through a crisis? https://bit.ly/4c3RCZB #crisiscomms #crisismanagement #crisisPR

"The best outcome is when no one even knows there’s a problem," Del Percio states bluntly. Her approach to crisis management focuses on keeping high-stakes issues out of the public eye, a service she says her clients demand. "My clients are the ones you’ve never heard of because we kept their crises under wraps." Del Percio doesn’t just talk about crisis communications—she embodies it. Her unexpected shift from behind-the-scenes strategist to a media presence has become a key asset for clients. https://bit.ly/4eF10TS #CommPRO #PR

The City of Atlanta's handling of this water situation is a masterclass on how NOT to handle emergency and crisis communications. Situations like these are why I urge my clients to invest in not only general comms, but also a competent crisis communications strategy. You never know when you'll need it and you can't just wing it when an emergency happens. If the city currently consults with an outside agency to handle crisis comms, fire them immediately and find a competent agency to move forward. If they are not contracting with an agency, they need to hire one IMMEDIATELY because this was the worst display of crisis communications, critical updates, and situational awareness I've ever experienced.

Read our blog to learn how to mitigate the risks and fallout of a social media crisis by implementing 3 psychology-based crisis communications strategies intended to prevent, mitigate, manage, & recover from a crisis situation: https://bit.ly/3o2zsiK #litigation #corporatelaw #crisis #communications #socialmedia

In 2024, it’s evident you need a deepfake scenario as part of your crisis communications plan, along with other disinformation management plans. Otherwise, you can see your reputation tarnished by actions or events that never actually happened. https://ow.ly/AqW850QIlup

🚨 Imagine this: You're going about your day & suddenly smell smoke. Your smoke detector screams a warning. In the chaos, would you know where your essentials are? A house fire is no joke, and neither is a crisis in your business. The key? Organization. 🔥 Fire safety experts recommend a "grab bag" for emergencies. In PR, we stress the need for a similar approach during business crises - be it data breaches, lawsuits, customer complaints, or something else. Unpreparedness only adds to the chaos. That's why I always recommend that every org has a robust Crisis Communications Plan - AKA your business's emergency go-bag. Here's what you need: ✅ An updated contact list of all stakeholders and a list of who to contact when, and how; ✅ A dedicated Crisis Response Team, trained and ready to act and oversee key activities related to their area(s) of expertise; ✅ Legal and PR consultants who know your business inside out to support you through the immediate aftermath. Don't wait for an emergency to realize you're unprepared. Let's craft a solid crisis communications strategy together. Reach out today and let's get prepared for anything. https://lnkd.in/dFe9qfDm

55% of business communicators don't have a documented crisis communications plan. No business is totally immune to some kind of adversity, unfortunately. From briefing your people to preparing responses for the media and statements for social media, take time to carefully construct your crisis comms plan and you might well thank yourself in the future. Scroll through the full crisis comms guide on our website: https://loom.ly/b5a7b-s