Crisis PR team worries so clients sleep better.
Problems create grief. The more you worry about them, the more anxious you become. When it seems they’re nearly resolved, you exhale gratefully. That’s natural.
But don’t relax too much. That is when the other side will try to slip something past you.
Red flags are everywhere. Some are easily visible. Others less so. The harder you look, the more you’ll find.
- Did the other side really surrender? Or just make a strategic (and temporary) retreat? Some battles never end.
- Did they really agree to the terms you wanted? Or simply say, in broad and vague words, that settling would be a good idea. If it’s not in writing and not specific, it’s not legally enforceable.
- Did they assure you, “Trust me. You have my word on it”? That should set your internal alarm bells clanging loudest.
In Strategic PR, the rule is simple: Things are seldom what they seem, and there’s almost always a hidden agenda.
Our job is to uncover that agenda and protect the client from it.
“You really need to lighten up,” a young colleague suggested to an older Crisis PR person. “People can’t really be all that bad, can they?”
“Yes, they can. Usually, they are. You will learn.”
It’s a relentlessly dark view of the world, but it does have bright moments.
Like a recent note from a client who thought the other side in a business dispute had conceded defeat: “You’re right. He didn’t actually say what he seemed to be saying. He set a clever trap, and you saved me from it.”
When clients know we’re worrying for them, they’re able to worry less and sleep better. For that, they’re grateful.
For a deeper glimpse into our world, see our book on Amazon, A Lawyer’s Guide to Crisis PR: Protecting Your Clients In & From the Media.
If you don’t already subscribe, please sign up for our blog, Insights on High-Stakes PR.
You can reach Roger Gillott and Eden Gillott directly at 310-396-8696.
Gillott Communications is a Los Angeles-based public relations firm that specializes in high-stakes Crisis & Reputation Management with more than 50 years of expertise in strategic communications, corporate public relations, and working with the media.
Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn where we share amazing tips on how to protect your reputation and mitigate damage during a crisis.