Tag: Crisis Communications

Got Klout? Measuring Your Law Firm Social Media Efforts

Many thanks to our Business of Law guest blogger Kevin Aschenbrenner of Jaffe PR who provided some truly useful information on how law firms can gauge the effectiveness of their social media programs.  Read on….

One of the most frustrating aspects of actively working on law firm social mediaefforts is the feeling that you’re in a vacuum. You often can’t tell if anyone is listening. And, posting, “Do you think I’m awesome?” just won’t cut it.

This is why influence is such a hot topic in social media. Essentially, the more influence you have online the more likely it is that people will not only pay attention to you but also act on what you post. I talk more about influence in this blog post. Go ahead and read it. I’ll wait.

Welcome back. So, influence. It’s a good concept, but it’s a bit of a vicious circle – you need influence to have an impact online but you need to know what your influence is to use it to assess your law firm social media efforts. It makes my head hurt, too.

Or, it used to. Now there’s an online tool that will measure your influence. It’s called Klout (www.klout.com) and it ranks your online influence with a number out of 100. For an example, here’s a link to my Klout Score:http://klout.com/kevinaschenbren. As Klout Scores go, I’m not up there with Brian Solis (85) or Chris Brogan (84), but it’s respectable and, I’m within kissing distance of 50, which is the Klout Score required by a few hotels in Las Vegas in order to qualify for free upgrades (http://adage.com/digitalnext/post?article_id=146189).

But I digress. I’ve found Klout very helpful as a sort of diagnostic tool for my social media efforts. It’s not perfect and I quibble with some of the other information you get in your report, but it’s not a bad guidepost.

To find out your Klout Score:

  • Go to www.klout.com and type in your Twitter handle.
     
  • To see your entire report, I suggest creating an account. It’s free and gives you access to additional data and it will also ensure your score is refreshed regularly.
     
  • You can increase the accuracy of your Klout Score by linking your Facebook and LinkedIn accounts.
     
  • Check back periodically to see how your Klout Score is doing.

And, if you really want to have fun with your online influence, check out Empire Avenue (www.empireavenue.com). I’ll leave you to explore that one on your own.

© Copyright 2008-2011, Jaffe PR

One of the most frustrating aspects of actively working on law firm social mediaefforts is the feeling that you’re in a vacuum. You often can’t tell if anyone is listening. And, posting, “Do you think I’m awesome?” just won’t cut it.

This is why influence is such a hot topic in social media. Essentially, the more influence you have online the more likely it is that people will not only pay attention to you but also act on what you post. I talk more about influence in this blog post. Go ahead and read it. I’ll wait.

Welcome back. So, influence. It’s a good concept, but it’s a bit of a vicious circle – you need influence to have an impact online but you need to know what your influence is to use it to assess your law firm social media efforts. It makes my head hurt, too.

Or, it used to. Now there’s an online tool that will measure your influence. It’s called Klout (www.klout.com) and it ranks your online influence with a number out of 100. For an example, here’s a link to my Klout Score:http://klout.com/kevinaschenbren. As Klout Scores go, I’m not up there with Brian Solis (85) or Chris Brogan (84), but it’s respectable and, I’m within kissing distance of 50, which is the Klout Score required by a few hotels in Las Vegas in order to qualify for free upgrades (http://adage.com/digitalnext/post?article_id=146189).

But I digress. I’ve found Klout very helpful as a sort of diagnostic tool for my social media efforts. It’s not perfect and I quibble with some of the other information you get in your report, but it’s not a bad guidepost.

To find out your Klout Score:

  • Go to www.klout.com and type in your Twitter handle.
     
  • To see your entire report, I suggest creating an account. It’s free and gives you access to additional data and it will also ensure your score is refreshed regularly.
     
  • You can increase the accuracy of your Klout Score by linking your Facebook and LinkedIn accounts.
     
  • Check back periodically to see how your Klout Score is doing.

And, if you really want to have fun with your online influence, check out Empire Avenue (www.empireavenue.com). I’ll leave you to explore that one on your own.

© Copyright 2008-2011, Jaffe PR

Yes, It’s Data Privacy Day

Here’s some news – it’s Privacy Day !  The National Law Review was alerted to this news by Emily Holbrook of the Risk Management Monitor – read on: 

It may surprise you, as it did me, to learn that today is Data Privacy Day, an “international celebration of the dignity of the individual expressed through personal information.” But Data Privacy Day also highlights the need for individuals to protect their data and how they can go about doing so.

There are many organizations out there that aim to help individuals protect their personal information and help businesses comply with data protection laws and regulations. The Online Trust Alliance is one such organization, whose mission is to create an online trust community, promoting business practices and technologies to enhance consumer trust globally. They recently released their “2011 Data Breach Incident Readiness Guide” to help businesses in breach prevention and incident management.

According to their newest guide, the true test for organizations and businesses should be the ability to answer key questions such as:

  1. Do you know what sensitive information is maintained by your company, where it is stored and how it is kept secure?
  2. Do you have an incident response team in place ready to respond 24/7?
  3. Are management teams aware of security, privacy and regulatory requirements related specifically to your business?
  4. Have you completed a privacy and security audit of all data collection activities, including cloud services, mobile devices and outsourced services?
  5. Are you prepared to communicate to customers, partners and stockholders in the event of a breach or data loss incident?

With the White House, members of Congress, Commerce Department and the FTC calling for greater privacy controls and breach notifications, self-regulation by businesses is becoming more and more important.

Google, one of the supporters of Data Privacy Day and the initiatives of The Privacy Projects is hosting a public discussion on privacy later this afternoon with representatives from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the FTC and the National Institute of Standards and Technology scheduled to attend. If you can’t stop by Google’s DC office for this event, don’t worry — it will be captured on video and posted to YouTube soon after.

Risk Management Magazine and Risk Management Monitor. Copyright 2011 Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc. All rights reserved.

FTC’s Recent Proposal for Protecting Consumer Privacy Online-"Creepy" is the new "Cool" and How to Make Sure It Stays That Way

From David A. Broadwin of Foley Hoag LLP – some predictions about how the FTC and Congress are going to handle information tracking issues.

The other day at Mass TLC’s Mobility Summit I had a brief conversation with Mark Herrmann (an entrepreneur here in Boston) that touched on the FTC’s recent proposal for protecting consumer privacy online.  We were talking about the “do not track” proposal and the consensus in the tech industry that it just won’t fly.

Mark’s comment:

“It is creepy that ‘they’ can and do track you out in the net, but ‘creepy is the new cool.’”

There is just no question that some people accept the fact that they are being tracked and fed targeted online advertising.  It is not just OK by them; it’s a value add.  I don’t disagree.

But, for anyone who has read “1984” (and even a lot of people who haven’t) the notion of being tracked is creepy.  There are a lot of these folks – perhaps a significant majority of the U.S. population – that feel this way.

In 2011 the FTC and Congress are going to pay attention to these concerns. It is good politics.

Prediction #1:

Legislation in this area will be one of the few places where we will see bipartisan consensus in the next Congress.

Why: No Congressperson wants to be opposed to consumer privacy, and they all want to have supported some legislation that passed, when running in the next election.

Mark (and others) made the point that if you really end tracking, you will end Facebook.  So, whatever happens it won’t be that.  However, the political snowball is rolling down the mountain – there will be regulatory activity around consumer privacy.

The only question is: What will be the nature and scope of the activity?

The big boys (those with well established businesses that either make money or have ready access to capital) are going to be lobbying hard for a regulatory framework that does not dent their current business model.

Prediction #2:

The big boys will fight anything that disrupts tracking and they are going to win this battle – no one in Congress wants to run on the platform that they put Facebook (or others) out of business.

But the big boys are going to have to trade something.  The easy things for them to trade are procedural protections for the consumer.

  • The FTC wants the industry to adopt “privacy by design” principles.  This means that companies should adopt internal processes to promote consumer privacy and security protections into their daily practices and to consider privacy issues at every stage of design and development of products and services.
  • The FTC wants the industry to make consumer data more available to consumers.  This means allowing for increased consumer access to data collected.

Prediction #3:

The big boys will trade lots of procedural protections for the consumer to prevent substantive regulation that will directly affect their business models.

Why: The big boys can afford the administrative burden implicit in procedural protections.  It is just a matter of more money, more people and more oversight.  A company that is well established and profitable or that has easy access to capital can afford to write the code, hire an army of new engineers, consultants, lawyers etc. and create an entire Department of Privacy Compliance and Protection.

In fact, to the extent that having to do all that makes it harder for start-ups, it may even be helpful to the established companies.

Some folks I talk to have expressed real concern about this looming regulatory push and how it might affect the entire ecosystem for digital media start-ups.

There is still a chance to influence the inevitable regulation that is upcoming and I am working on assembling a group of industry leaders to do just that.  I recently sent out a letter (here’s a link) to people I thought might be concerned enough to actually do something.

Read it and let me know what you think.

Copyright © 2010 Foley Hoag LLP. All rights reserved.

Not All Press is Good Press: Managing a Crisis

A friendly reminder from the National Law Review’s Business of Law Section  —Not All Press is Good Press: Managing a Crisis from Gina F. Rubel of Furia Rubel Communications, Inc. 

New York Times reporter, Peter S. Goodman, hit the nail on the head in his article, In Case of Emergency: What Not to Do. Goodman shares with us the realities of bad crisis management which equals bad press. The examples he sites are Toyota, BP (who even my 10-year-old daughter sees as an environmental villain), Goldman Sachs, and others. He also sites “image implosion” examples of LeBron James and Mel Gibson, although he skipped over Michael Vick. 

Goodman shares great points and the entire article is worth a solid read (or two). However, there are some important points all which are dependent upon the situation you are dealing with. 1) Heed established protocol: When the story is bad, disclose it immediately; however 2) there are times when silence is better. Tiger Woods can tell you why. And 3) don’t say “anything” if there’s a chance it will lead to hypocrisy and ridicule and especially if the media can tear you apart word for word. 

Goodman also reminds us that lawyers and P.R. practitioners often find themselves in a battle when it comes to handling crisis communications. This is something I know all too well – as a lawyer and publicist who handles litigation publicity. I have found my Id and Ego in battle over the best way to handle a situation many times.  (Don’t ask me if the lawyer in me is the Id or the Ego – the public relations practitioner seems to win out in me every time.) 

Goodman says, “In times of crisis, communications professionals and lawyers often pursue conflicting agendas. Communications strategists are inclined to mollify public anger with expressions of concern, while lawyers warn that contrition can be construed as admissions of guilt in potentially expensive lawsuits.” Both are correct and there can be a happy medium when they play nicely in the sandbox. 

At one point in the article, Goodman quotes Eric Dezenhall, a communications strategist in Washington, D.C., who worked in the White House for President Ronald Reagan. He says that a corporation in crisis is “absolute chaos” and that the lawyers and P.R. consultants “despise each other.” Although this isn’t far from the truth during a crisis, it makes a great case for advance crisis communications planning – a practice where most corporations (and lawyers) miss the mark. 

A crisis communications plan anticipates issues before they arise. It deals in scenarios and responses. It’s the “if this then that” game and it works. This process also works for lawyers dealing with high-stakes issues for their companies and clients. For example, when a law firm is going to file a complaint on behalf of a client, and the complaint deals with well-known entities, it behooves the law firm to understand who might see that “once-filed public” document and what questions could be asked. In many courthouses, journalists are assigned to review the public filings for the day to uncover stories. Just because a firm or client doesn’t request media attention doesn’t mean they are not going to get it. 

So what is a law firm to do? Employ media strategy. Ask: “If a member of the media calls about this complaint, what are we going to say? What if they reach out to our adversary first? Should we disclose the filing or is it better to take a wait-and-see approach with a lawyer-approved statement in place? Who will serve as the spokesperson? Who are the affected audiences? Do they need to know about the lawsuit in advance of filing? How does this affect the company’s bottom line and what are we going to do about it?” These are just a few of the questions that need to be asked. 

On the other hand, companies susceptible to lawsuits should also play the “if this then that” game. Rather than be on the defense, employ proper planning before a crisis hits. Defense firms and P.R. firms alike can provide added value to clients by being proactive – thus putting the clients on the offense whenever possible. 

At the end of the day, it is important that attorneys and public relations practitioners work together with the same agenda. Determine what needs to be accomplished and the best road to get there – even before beginning the journey.

© 2010 Furia Rubel Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author:

Gina F. Rubel Gina Rubel is the president and CEO of Furia Rubel Communications (www.furiarubel.com). A public relations expert, attorney, and author, Gina teaches professional service firms nationwide how to use integrated communications to gain credibility, to get recognized and to build and retain business. She has been named one of Pennsylvania’s Best 50 Women in Business and a Philadelphia Business Journal Woman of Distinction.  215-340-0480 www.furiarubel.com

 

Almost Ten Years After the Enron Meltdown: More Costs, More Prosecution, More Compliance?

I recently heard Sherron Watkins speak as part of a panel at Inside Counsel’s recent Super Conference in Chicago.  Ms. Watkins is former Enron Vice President who is widely credited with exposing the accounting and other irregularities, which lead to Enron’s demise and ushered in a new era of compliance awareness. Ms. Watkins provided some chilling insights and timely reminders about how a company can take great lengths to appear to be highly compliant and ethical but in reality can be a very different creature.      

At the time of the Enron meltdown, Enron was the seventh biggest company in America and the world’s biggest energy trader. Enron also had a Code of Corporate Compliance which would be technically compliant today with many of the Code of Conduct requirements mandated under Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) enacted because of the Enron meltdown. Enron’s Board of Directors famously waived various provisions of their well crafted Code of Conduct twice. These waivers of the Code of Conduct allowed the company’s CFO to run competing companies and companies which traded directly with Enron, and many other questionable business practices.     

Back in 2001, Watkins began investigating Enron’s relationship with LJM (a special purpose entity designed to take high-risk poor-performing assets off Enron’s balance sheet). Watkins became increasingly alarmed as it became apparent that the LJM relationship didn’t stand up to accounting scrutiny. Watkins sent Kenneth Lay, then Chairman of Enron’s Board of Directors, a detailed memo in August 2001 explaining her concerns.  Watkins outlined how the structuring of the LJM deals didn’t seem to have a true third-party relationship and warned Lay that the aggressive accounting would come back and haunt the company. After drafting the memo, Watkins met with Lay to convey her fears face to face.     

Enron Founder Kenneth Lay & Former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling

Enron went down quickly. By December of 2001 Enron filed bankruptcy, which at the time was the biggest bankruptcy case in US history. Thousands of workers lost their jobs and thousands of investors lost billions of dollars. Soon after Enron’s bankruptcy, Watkins role publicly came to light. In January 2002, a Congressional committee published her memo to Ken Lay and Watkins and many others testified before Congress about Enron’s corporate culture, internal controls and accounting practices.     

Kenneth Lay Mugshot

In response to Enron, WorldCom and other financial scandals, Congress enacted SOX. Section 404 of SOX requires that company management document, test and adequately support the effectiveness of its internal controls. It also states that such documentation, testing and support be audited and reported on by external auditors.  Certifying officers, the  CEO and CFO, face penalties of $1million for false certification and/or up to 10 years imprisonment for “knowing” violations, and $5 million and/or up to 20 years imprisonment for “willing” violations. In theory, a new era of “transparency” was born.    

Jeffrey Skilling Mugshot

 But Enron famously had a “no harm, no foul” culture and to the outside world, a state of the art Code of Conduct. Whether it was simply looking the other way or actual ignorance, most Enron employees prior to 2001 were unaffected by the executive pillaging going on across all levels of the business and the executives heartily benefited from it. Watkins believes the true bite from SOX comes from the Act’s enforcement penalties. Back in 2003, Watkins famously stated: “Monetary fines don’t do it. If you’ve made a hundred million dollars and you’re fined $25m, you’re still filthy rich. To go to jail scares these guys to death. Standing in a cafeteria line for food, communal showers? It will change them forever.”
       

Significantly Increased Corporate Compliance Spending:

It’s difficult to quantify directors and officers fear but one measurable result of Enron, World Com and SOX has been significantly increased compliance costs. Such costs have been well documented – some estimates placing them at well over $6 billion annually. Two accounting professors at the University of Illinois estimated that companies spent 120 million hours in 2004  alone complying with SOX. They also suggested that outside auditors spent another 12 million hours. That equates to 132 million hours – or, to put it another way, 66,000 people working for one year on nothing else.    

Experts all agree the costs have been steep, but how steep? According to one study that has attracted a lot of attention, SOX contributed significantly to wiping US$1.4 trillion off the value of the stock market. This startling amount comes from a study by Ivy Xiying Zhang, Assistant Professor of Accounting at the University of Minnesota.   

In spite of  the current recession, roughly three out of four companies either kept compliance spending even in 2009 or actually increased it.  For 2010 compliance spending is expected to be about the same as 2009 or even slightly higher.  This data was revealed in a survey published in January conducted by the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE) and the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA).   http://www.corporatecompliance.org   

Roy Snell, Chief Executive Officer of SCCE,  recently stated: “According to our survey results 33%  of companies surveyed expect a budget increase in 2010, and 18% expect their staffing to increase.” “This shows that the business community has come to realize that the price of cutting back on compliance far exceeds any potential rewards.”    

Increased Regulatory Enforcement of Financial Crime:

While it is difficult to tell if the increased spending on compliance is having any measurable effect on actual compliance, the government has certainly turned corporate and financial crimes as the new target of the “war on crime.”  One area of heightened government enforcement is the FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) which prohibits bribery of foreign government officials. Some statistics illustrate:    

  • In 2000 federal prosecutors brought no FCPA criminal cases.
  • In 2004 there were 3.
  • In 2009 there were 34 criminal FCPA actions with many more in the pipeline – the justice department currently has approximately 150 open investigations.
  • On January 19, 2010, 22 individuals were arrested under portions of the FCPA.   This is the largest single investigation and prosecution against individuals in the 32-plus year history of the FCPA.

In 2009, the federal government significantly beefed up the False Claims Act (FCA) under FERA (Federal Employment and Recovery Act). The FCA applies to the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to prosecute persons who make false statements to obtain TARP funds.   TARP also created a Specialized Inspector General (SIGTARP) who will collaborate with the FBI and federal prosecutors.  Many states also have their own false claims acts which will should also come into play as TARP money flows to states.     

State Attorney Generals and Federal officials are starting to work together as never before, too.     

  • Operation Short Change:   A joint effort of the FTC and 18 state attorney generals targeting business scams taking advantage of the economic downturn.
  • Operation Loan Lies:  A joint effort of the FTC and 18 state attorney generals targeting mortgage modification scams.
  • Operation Stolen Hope:  A joint effort of 26 federal and state agencies to crackdown on mortgage foreclosure rescue and loan modification scams.

Take Away:  While Enron had a stellar Code of Conduct on paper – it was waived by the Board and the potential  profits at the time seemed to seriously outweigh any civil and criminal penalties in force at the time.  Almost ten years later, companies are spending vast resources on compliance, even in the wake of the current recession.  Wall Street’s recent problems which prompted TARP seems to have motivated both federal and state governments to step in with heightened enforcement of financial crimes.  Whether heightened government enforcement coupled with increased corporate awareness is enough to deter the temptation of potential profits still remains to be seen.

BP Mismanages a Coffee Spill and the Best of @BPGlobalPR

Not surprisingly, the whole world pretty much hates BP now. And more and more people are lashing out against the oil conglomerate with attacks. Some are vicious advocacy campaigns that include pocket-hurting measures like boycotts. Others are vicious satirical jabs at a company whose reputation is being destroyed, piece by piece, day by day.

Here is the funniest attack I’ve seen. From the Upright Citizens Brigade, it’s a spoof of how BP would try to handle a boardroom coffee spill. (There is one instance of NSFW language at the end.)

Good stuff.

And coming in at a close second is the fake BP public relations Twitter feed. If you’re not familiar, many companies use the social media site Twitter to inform the public of their latest news and offerings. And someone has created a satirical @BPGlobalPR account that sends out frequent humorous updates laced with acerbic cynicism for how BP is handling this mess. Often accompanied by the sarcastic “#bpcares” disclaimer, the account advocates charity causes such as offering ”free bpcares” t-shirts that you can purchase for $25. (You can read more about @BPGlobalPR here and here.)

Here are the cleverest updates from the account so far:

SPOILER ALERT: The leak stops eventually, everyone forgets about it and we all buy another vacation home. #cantwait

Found driftwood that looks like Jesus crying oil. Not sure what it means but we’re charging 20 bucks to see it. #bpcares

If we’re being accused of being criminals, we want to be tried by a jury of our peers — wealthy execs who don’t give a damn. #fairisfair

I’ve gotta say, at night the gulf really doesn’t look that bad. #bpcares

OMG This isss ridciulsus. playing a drinking gamee where we drink a shot everytme we seeee an oily birdddd!!! LOL! so wasted!!11 #pbcares

What a gorgeous day! The ocean is filled with the most beautiful rainbows! #yourewelcome #bpcares

They want to fine us $4,300 for every barrel of oil spilled? Umm, we’re not spilling barrels, the oil is going directly into the gulf. DUH

A bird just stole my sandwich! You deserve everything you get, nature!!! #bpcares

If Top Kill doesn’t work, we’re just gonna toss a giant “Get Well Soon” card into the gulf and hope for the best. #bpcares

Just wrapped up a meeting with the EPA. Terry kept farting out loud at all the right moments. Not sure how he does it, but it’s SO FUNNY!

Funny, no one has thanked us for seasons 3-15 of Treme yet. #bpcares

The good news: Mermaids are real. The bad news: They are now extinct. #bpcares

Catastrophe is a strong word, let’s all agree to call it a whoopsie daisy.

Beverly Hillbillies marathon on TBS – now THESE guys knew what to do with an oil leak!

Not only are we dropping a top hat on the oil spill, we’re going to throw in a cane and monocle as well. Keeping it classy.

Authored by: Jared Wade

The above article is reprinted from the Risk Management Monitor – the official blog of Risk Management magazine.

Reprinted with permission from the Risk Management Monitor. Copyright 2010 Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc. All rights reserved.

Crisis Communication Plans Provide the Framework of How to Manage a Crisis Effectively

Guest Blogger Paramjit L. Mahli of of SCG Legal PR Network provides some helpful guidelines on crisis PR management techniques.

What will your firm do in the face of an unexpected emergency? Crisis communication plans provide an organizational framework of who will be responsible for which specific task, when and if a crisis should occur.

The most challenging part of any crisis, whether it is natural or man-made is the reaction of the management. Not only do they have to be prepared to respond quickly but respond with the right response. Failure to do so will only lead to spin, not communication, which in turn doesn’t mitigate damages but rather causes embarrassment, humiliation, prolonged visibility, and often, unnecessary litigation for the business.

Crises can range from product recalls, an accident in a mine, food contamination, passengers’ movement on airline restricted during poor weather, a hacker stealing credit card information, environmental breaches, class action law suits, sexual harassment, or activisms which effect commerce everyday throughout the world. More often than not, crisis occur when least expected. The Institute of Crisis Management defines a crisis as “ Any problem or disruption that triggers negative stakeholder reactions that could impact the organization’s financial strength and ability to do what it does”.

Executives understand that a solid, strong reputation of their company is tied with bottom-line earnings. Businesses with good reputations are seen as providing their customers with more value and therefore are able to charge premium prices for their products and services. Anything that diminishes this value is of consequence.

Frequently, attorneys whether they are inside or external counsel find themselves in the thick of the crisis, uniquely situated between management and external counsel, and/or other stakeholders with strong interests and involvement in the crisis. By understanding the role of the media, learning how to work effectively with the press, advising clients of the importance of having some sort of crisis plan in place, law firms and attorneys are able to provide additional value to their clients and importantly are setting themselves apart from their competition.

Having a crisis communication plan where both sides: attorneys and public relations firms and/or consultants, not only work cohesively together but understand their respective roles is imperative when client’s/organizations reputations are at stake. Oftentimes, regardless of the legal implications of the crisis, perceptions generated with the public can be helpful or detrimental to the client’s economic health.

When no plans are in place, and a crisis occurs, improvising and flying by the seat of one’s trousers will not minimize damage but rather increase it. A plan that identifies clearly who is responsible for which tasks will impose order, structure and direction rather than having to put out firestorms without having any strategy in place.

Crisis communication plans at their very basic are templates. They provide an organizational framework of who will be responsible for which specific task, when and if a crisis should occur. Without a plan, the left hand won’t know what the right hand is doing particularly when the press is knocking on your door. It should outline in detail operational procedures. This includes contact systems; a point person who is coordinating with press and spokesperson (usually the primary attorney, depending on the nature of the crisis) back up spokesperson, and reporters who cover the beat. It will also include how and what to communicate to any other organization, stakeholder or community that has a specific interest and is impacted by the crisis.

It’s important to note, that these templates must be fluid. Each crisis will be different with different stakeholders and so adjustments to the plans will be necessary as these are living organisms. However, all of the plans at their very basic level will need the following:

  1. Determine who is part of the crisis communication management team. This will include all key individuals and roles assigned to them. All the individuals must have contact details of all the team members.
  2. Designated spokesperson with the press. This is the individual who will be the face of organization to the public. Typically there is a fair amount of dialogue between attorneys and spokespersons. The Spokesperson, usually has had a fair amount of media training, or comes from a journalism background.
  3. Assign individual/public relations agency to be responsible for all needs and queries of the press. This persons/agency’s job is to ensure that all press requests are handled in a timely manner.
  4. The legal counsel, spokesperson should have a current media list of reporters who cover your client’s beat.
  5. Maintain a media log. This should have details of all press that has contacted the organization, what information was sent, when they are expected to get back to you. If there is more than one individual on the coordination team, be clear on which tasks were delegated to whom?
  6. The public relations agency should make sure the spokesperson or any other individuals assigned to that role should not talk to external sources until they have and understand all the facts. Otherwise, mistakes will be made, which in turn create negative perceptions.
  7. Communicate key messages for all your audiences in a consistent manner, whether they are within the organization or external audiences. The messages must address questions and concerns in language that different stakeholders understand. The tendency is to be objective and use legal language, both of these will work to your disadvantage, the public wants to hear and sense that you understand the gravity and depth of the circumstances.
  8. Depending how long the crisis is the public relations agency/consultants should coordinate a regular timetable to meet reporters, keeping them abreast of any latest developments.
  9. Maintaining several back up plans, point personal, and other details relating to the particular crisis is a must.
  10. Finally, all crisis circumstances whether they are business related or natural disasters need a human face. That means, regardless of how well prepared the organization/client is, it is critical to connect and relate to all the key stakeholders impacted by the situation.

Finally, a good crisis communication plan helps to mitigate and reduce the potential for damage. It is a blueprint for when unexpected events and disasters strike, providing structure for the flow of important information to be communicated to all the key players. Benjamin Franklin summed it up very well, “by failing to prepare you are preparing to fail”

Paramjit L Mahli is with award winning SCG Legal PR Network. She is a former journalist who has worked with CNN Business News, Canadian Broadcast Corporation and Journal of Commerce. Comprised of small and large firms throughout the USA, SCG Legal PR Network connects legal experts with reporters nationally and internationally. Ms. Mahli is a contributor to Legal Broadcast Network and writes frequently for Technolawyer. She also trains and gives CLEs regularly on media relations and public relations.