Tuesday, May 26, 2009

What Happens In Vegas Stays In Vegas

Might be a true enough statement if you’re attending a bachelor party—and it is one heck of a marketing slogan – kudos to all who created or own it. http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/607344.html

But what happens during a corporate scandal or crisis seldom stays under wraps. Sometimes it appears without warning quickly ruining reputations and causing stock prices to tank. Other times it simmers slowly until it finally reaches a boil, destroying morale, customer confidence, and ultimately market share.

You’ve heard the cliché “good news travels fast?” It does. But in this day and time, thanks to technology, it travels even faster. And guess what? If good news travels fast, bad news travels at the speed of light. So, trying to contain bad news, seldom works. And since the internet is the engine that delivers the news, we know how quickly a message--- accurate or not---can be disseminated to millions of people with the click of a mouse.

Panorama Public Relations prepares and positions industry-leading companies to strategically communicate key messages to the media and other stakeholders who are vital to the financial well being of their business and brand.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

“Stupid is as Stupid Does” Forest Gump

I'm always amazed to learn about seemingly sophisticated companies who are caught off guard by the media during a crisis. These are the same companies who appear to be at the top of their game in areas of product, people and professionalism and yet they don’t employ the best-business practice of having a communications plan prepared in the event of a catastrophe.

I speak to groups across the country about this subject. When I ask if their company has a professionally developed crisis communication plan in place, a show-of-hands poll typically produces the same results. About 90% do not.

I hate to use the word STUPID in a business blog, but it is what it is.

Decision makers and policy setters need to remember---what’s often said to the media during a crisis goes on your “permanent record.” It’s very difficult to erase.