When the Media Comes a-Calling: Part 3 (Final Installment)

Text at Your Own Risk: Top 3 Things not to Text When Your Company’s in Trouble

No one sees a text message but you and the person you send it to, right? WRONG! I once accidentally left my phone at a friend’s house. When I got back, I discovered that her young daughter had not only gone through my text messages, but my pictures, contacts, and everything else she could access on my phone. I didn’t have anything worth talking about on my phone, so nothing was made of it. But, the experience had me thinking, “What if?”

According to an AOL Small Business story, incriminating text messages are “all the rage.” While the article looks at how text messages that were sent before a crisis is made known can be used as evidence of fault, in the same vein, texts sent once a crisis has already broken out can also be condemning.

Just because we use “smart phones” doesn’t mean we always use “phone smarts.” What I mean is, as a company owner, president, CEO, or manager, any communication that is exchanged during a corporate crisis must be meaningful and wise.

What not to text:

1. “I’d like my life back.”
During the BP Oil Spill, The Huffington Post reported footage of company CEO Tony Hayward saying he wanted his life back. Many found the statement insensitive. While his comment was vocalized, a text message saying something along these lines would have had the same affect.

What to text:
“We’re going to work to get everyone’s lives back in order.” This statement doesn’t exclude the company owner, but does take into account all those who have been affected by an unfortunate corporate crisis.

2. “Guess we’re having our Tylenol moment.”
The phrase “Tylenol moment” has been popping up all over the internet. Anyone who know’s anything about corporate PR crises is familiar with the Tylenol recall of the 80s. Johnson & Johnson is heralded as having handled the situation expertly and deflecting potential damage quickly. Each crisis situation is to be handled as a separate instance and should be taken seriously.

What to text:
“Let’s handle this with care.”
Acknowledging that a crisis situation can be fragile is perfectly acceptable. It let’s your customers and stakeholders know you’re not blowing off the circumstances and that you plan to take action wisely.

3. “Send someone over to talk to the media.”
Sending the right person to speak to media, a town hall of concerned citizens, or group of stakeholders is just as important as what is said. According to a New York Times article, sending a low-ranking official, as was done during the Exxon-Valdez spill, causes people to think that a company is downgrading a situation.

What to text:
“Get our spokesperson prepped for the media.”
Having someone who is well-schooled in handling media or public speaking situations that can speak on behalf of a company CEO or president shows preparedness and consideration. This person can field questions and provide peace of mind by providing much needed information and a corporate presence.