2021 WEB AWARD FOR
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
in Web Development for Métis Crossing.
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
Christina Pilarski • April 30, 2020
Crises are impartial, whether you are a veteran operation, a fortune 500 corporation, or a humble start-up, a crisis will inevitably strike us all. It’s not a case of if, but when.
At the best of times, we are all sky diving with a parachute that has never been tested. We are operating in uncharted territory, riddled with unknowns and vulnerabilities. Many of our challenges are unique, but when it comes to crisis communications and mitigation, the rules are universal.
We may not be able to avoid every crisis, but there are steps we can all take to be better prepared, and tools we can implement to minimize the pain, distress and radical impact of a crisis.
STEP 1
ANTICIPATE AND PLAN
The first step is admitting you have a problem…
Every company has vulnerabilities, the most important thing we can do is acknowledge our possible shortcomings and develop a plan for managing potential fallout. Attempting to bury a body or ignore a problem will only make matters worse.
Establish a team of informed personnel to brainstorm and identify potential vulnerabilities. Big and small, far-fetched and likely, expected and unexpected; identify and track every possible scenario and begin planning.
A crisis communication plan is not tempting fate, it is not a make-work project. The only thing worse than a crisis, is a crisis response without a plan. Your crisis communications plan should be developed to incorporate the next four steps…
STEP 2
IDENTIFY PERSONNEL
Adrenaline is a drug…
When crisis strikes a phenomenon inevitably takes hold; everyone believes themselves an expert, and internal and external parties begin to deliver their unsolicited advice and opinions. You need an established team of identified experts across business units who understand their roles and who support specific needs within your crisis communications team. By establishing a crisis communications team, you can have trust in your people and their capabilities, allowing your company to execute on your established communications plan.
Your crisis communications team must include senior leadership or those empowered to make decisions on behalf of the company. Additionally, you will require a public relations expert who understands crisis communications, subject matter experts depending on the topic, and an identified, trained and prepared public spokesperson.
Your company spokesperson must be a combination of the appropriate position and seniority, media trained and appropriately briefed on the topic at hand. DO NOT trust an individual who claims to be comfortable with media relations or public speaking to be prepared; crisis communications can be jarring to the most experienced of communications professionals. Ensure your spokesperson is trained and prepared for the adrenalin rush of a true crisis.
STEP 3
MONITOR AND TRACK
Communications is a two-way street…
In times of crisis you need to understand what is being said about you, and how to effectively communicate with your identified stakeholders. This means including both monitoring systems and communications tools in your crisis communications plan.
Monitoring communications must include social media monitoring and traditional media monitoring. By following and tracking the public dialogue you will be better prepared for the questions that need answering and the conversational tone required. Monitoring and tracking will require technology solutions and individuals who can appropriately interpret the data provided by these tools.
Depending on the nature of your crisis differing modes of stakeholder communication will be required, ranging from full scale emergency communications techniques to media relations. No matter the crisis, you need a plan for who your target audience is and how best to reach them. Once you have answered those questions you can develop and implement the necessary tactics.
STEP 4
OPEN COMMUNICATION
The coverup is worse than the crime…
In the throws of a crisis it can be tempting to make statements minimizing the impact or attempting to temper the true extent of the crisis, DO NOT fall into this trap. As a company you must share exactly what you know, as soon as you know it. BUT you must ensure you KNOW it. Never provide information you are not 100% sure is accurate, any slip up will blow your spokesperson and even your company’s credibility.
By providing your stakeholders and the public with accurate information in a timely manner you will limit misinformation and control the narrative to the best of your ability. In the case that information is unclear or unconfirmed, say that. Providing a holding statement that explains you are aware of the situation and takings steps to mitigate the impact. This demonstrates a willingness to engage with stakeholders and the public in a forthright and trustworthy manner.
STEP 5
LESSONS LEARNED
A wasted mistake, is one not learned from…
Crises are an inevitable consequence of doing business and unfortunately, they can often result in radical and lasting impacts on your company. There is however a silver lining, an opportunity for learnings and growth moving forward.
In the days, weeks and even months following the crisis gather your team to discuss and understand what worked and what did not work. Update your crisis communications plan to ensure best practices moving forward.
CIPR Communications, Certified Flourishing Coaching and Rumble Boxing Studio have teamed up to participate in the Canadian Mental Health Association's Energize Don't Hide event. CALGARY, AB, April 28, 2022 /CNW/ - Calgary businesses CIPR Communications, Certified Flourishing Coaching and Rumble Boxing Studio have teamed up to participate in the Canadian Mental Health Association's (CMHA Calgary) Energize Don't Hide event to raise awareness about mental health, build connection and community, and fundraise for the ongoing delivery and expansion of CHMA Calgary programs. These local companies are committed to helping the Canadian Mental Health Association's Energize Don't Hide Calgary campaign and are encouraging other businesses to participate through incentives and prizes. The first two businesses that contact Peter Pilarski ( peter@ciprcommunications.com ) to join Energize Don't Hide as a result of this challenge will receive a free Digital Competitive Analysis Report from CIPR Communications. Certified Flourishing Coaching will also provide complimentary Life Coach Training and Certification to the first individual or solopreneur who contacts Abe Brown ( abe@momentumcoach.ca ) to sign up a team. Additionally, Rumble Boxing Studio has agreed to provide $100 Personal Training Gift Certificates for a First Free Session, a Free Heavy Bag Class and Complimentary Group Bookings to all companies that participate in Energize Don't Hide. "We know that physical activity and a sense of belonging to a community can help to improve mental health," said CIPR Communications Vice President Peter Pilarski. "We wanted to take advantage of Energize Don't Hide Calgary to bring local businesses together to raise awareness, lift our collective spirits, raise some money for CHMA Calgary and have some fun while we are at it." In addition to challenging other businesses and individuals to participate in Energize Don't Hide, CIPR Communications invites registered teams to join their team every Friday for a weekly group training or outdoor fitness session, starting with a private group heavy bag session at Rumble Boxing Studio 17 AVE on Friday, May 6th at 1:30 PM. Interested participants can email peter@ciprcommunications.com to take part. "We are thrilled to host the CIPR Communications Team and anyone who joins them at Rumble Boxing Studio on May 6th," said Kealan Bailey, founding trainer at Rumble Boxing Studio. "While getting any kind of exercise is great for mental health, participating in group fitness adds a sense of community that enhances the experience and punching a heavy bag has many therapeutic benefits." Energize Don't Hide runs from May 2 to June 30. During this time participants are challenged to complete 3,300 minutes of activity and teams are challenged to complete 33,000 minutes of activity while raising money for CHMA Calgary's mental health programs. For more information, visit the Energize Don't Hide website. About Certified Flourishing Coaching The Certified Flourishing Coach Model™ is evidence-based and practitioner focused, meaning that it is based on science and psychology. "Evidence-based" describes an approach to medicine, education, and other disciplines that emphasizes the practical application of the findings of the best available current research. Essentially, it means that a concept or practice is supported by a large amount of scientific research. So, when we describe the Flourishing Coaching Model™ as evidence-based, we mean that we are taking the best available current research around people, change, and specifically how people flourish, and practically applying it with a coaching lens. About Rumble Boxing Studio Rumble offers a one-of-a-kind badass fitness experience, with a fight club meets nightclub vibe. We bring together a high-intensity boxing workout with the powerful platform of group fitness. We are more than just fitness; we are a community. All experience levels are welcome.
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Core Web Vitals: What it Means and How to Measure Them On Your Website While we saw some important changes in 2021 and we expect to see more over the course of 2022, the tried-and-true digital marketing practices that have worked in the past will continue to serve you well into the future. Provide a great user experience on your website pages Back in May 2021, Google introduced its Core Web Vitals update, which rolled out over the summer months. This update is all about improving page experience signals that measure how users perceive the experience of interacting with a web page. At the end of the day, Google is looking to provide the best answers to people’s questions while at the same time providing a great user experience – in its essence, it really is that simple. Simple as it may be, however, it’s not always that easy to achieve!
What are the Benefits of a Landing Page? Landing pages provide a vital touchpoint with you and potential customers, serving as the initial brand interaction through engaging content with an opportunity to generate a lead through a form fill. Here are some key benefits to creating an audience-specific landing page for your next marketing campaign: - Generate leads and conversions - Provide valuable insights into your target audience(s) - Help grow your newsletter subscriber list - They support your business goals through measurable metrics - Increase brand value What types of content does a landing page offer? A good landing page should have a clear message, nurture leads with appropriate content, and the most important, have a call-to-action awareness or consideration form. Here are a few types of content offers you can add to your landing page to convert users into leads: eBooks and whitepapers Event Registration and Webinars Email Newsletter subscriptions Free trials As you begin exploring a landing page for your business, there are a few additional things to consider. Don’t distract your user from the end goal. Limit any unnecessary content that would shift focus from filling your form out. And most importantly, think about how valuable your offer is. The more valuable, the more engaging it will be for the user. Want to take your marketing campaign to the next level? Book a meeting with one our experts today.
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CIPR Communications Wins Two Web Marketing Association WebAwards in 2021. For Website Development in Collaboration with Indigenous Clients in the Tourism Sector
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