There’s a reason you rarely hear leaders of Fortune 500 companies say, “I wish I’d just called you sooner.” Every company and non-profit faces sensitive situations. Some industries are more susceptible and problems are more frequent, but no good leader willingly tolerates exposing their organization to a crisis.
Large corporations and non-profits keep teams of professionals on staff full-time. Their org charts are filled with the usual suspects — CEO, CFO, COO, General Counsel, Human Resources, Marketing, IT, Physical and Data Security, PR, and even Strategic Communications. If not in-house, these advisors are kept on retainer to provide counsel as issues arise. These organizations look at them as an investment in protecting their brand, rather than as a cost.
For more tips like these, check out A Business Owner’s Guide to Crisis PR: Protecting You & Your Business’ Reputation.
So where does that leave those that fall outside of the Fortune 500 ranking or NonProfit Times Top100?
Enter “on retainer” and “fractional” experts. These services are vital to run a successful company or non-profit, but not in a traditional 40-hour-week capacity. Think of them as a combo of on-demand streaming services and an à la carte buffet — you get to buy what you need and skip the excess.
They give you access to top-tier expertise in virtually every profession. They come with different names but mean the same thing. Some have “fractional” right in their title: Fractional CFO, COO, CMO, and CISO are the most common. Then there’s Outside General Counsel, Managed IT Services, HR Consultants, and PR agencies. All are critical to keeping your organization humming smoothly.
Why do companies and non-profits use fractional Strategic Communications?
Because they want to control, options, and access. It’s for leaders who start conversations by saying something like:
“I want to run this by you.”
“What are your thoughts on this?”
“I know what I HOPE will happen, but how might this go sideways?”
It’s the solution to the problem that so many of our Crisis clients have faced over the years. No more waiting until a little issue becomes a big problem. No more waiting until after a crisis has derailed regular operations and damage has already been done. It’s thinking:
“This might happen…What are our options to protect ourselves?
How can we avoid it entirely, or at least, make it less damaging?”
If you’re ready to take some worrying off your plate, give us a call at (310) 396-8696 for a free 15-minute consultation.
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.
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