(but if you are already there…do not waste a moment
to engage a seasoned communications specialist)
If your company or a client of yours is facing bankruptcy or foreclosure, in the process of turbulent turnaround management, or experiencing negative news media coverage, it is important that a crisis communications plan is developed and executed to work in your best interest.
Many times we read in the news media the phrase “no comment” by a company CEO or its attorney, but while it maybe legally prudent, it does little to uphold a positive positioning of a company or individual. Depending upon the issue, the reality is most often readers will perceive the “no comment” to be a sign of guilt, disconnect, and weakness from one who previously may have been quoted on a variety of high profile topics, hiding behind lawyers (as what can happen in celebrity-related matters)…all of which, you will agree, is not always in one’s best interest.
A well-seasoned crisis communications specialist knows how to work closely with a client’s attorneys, C-suite executives, human resources management, regulatory agencies, civic leaders, etc. to effectively strategize a plan of action (from pre-planning for an anticipated crisis to post-crisis management). They will know when to engage various departments or outside entities, develop and manage the messaging, handle all aspects of news media relations (including media training for executives, and sometimes serving as a company spokesperson), etc.
“To be effective, Crisis Management is not for the faint-hearted, it is for the results-hearted,” notes Bonnie S. Kaye, president and chief strategist of Kaye Communications, Inc. who directs the firm’s KCOM CrisisPro services. “Companies and individuals must first commit and entrust themselves to a seasoned crisis specialist and then be open to the honest feedback. At KCOM, we tell our clients what they need to hear, not just what they want to hear.”
She adds that, “While at times, it may seem like a ‘downer’ to hear about obstacles and market push back, you cannot effectively develop and manage a communications crisis plan and make sound decisions if your counselor does not outline every potential scenario prior to setting a direction. There can always be surprises (i.e. an unanticipated jury verdict, a whistle blower, construction accident, high-profile crime), but your crisis communications professional’s counsel should be taken in the same light as counsel from your attorney or financial counselor who regularly advises you on potential pitfalls in their area of expertise.”
To learn more about KCOM CrisisPro, contact Bonnie S. Kaye, President and Chief Strategist at Kaye Communications, Inc. at (561) 392-5166 or via email at [email protected]. Bonnie has a 25-year career in public relations and marketing agency plus a five-year tenure in corporate communications for Time Warner’s Home Box Office (HBO) responsible for a 14-state Northeast U.S. region. A published journalist in area of public/private partnerships, and a board member of the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce (for which she serves as Communications Task Force chair), Bonnie has co-partnered Kaye Communications, developing and implementing internal and external communications plans (including crisis management) for a variety of clients in healthcare, business-to-business and consumer-driven organizations, professional services (legal, financial, medical, Realtor™), resort, private club, retail, entertainment, commercial and residential development, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, etc.
