working with the media

The Joy of Crises

Posted on: December 16, 2012 Last updated on: July 4, 2023 Written by: Gillott Communications Categorized in: Crisis Management

Solving PR puzzles is gratifying, but solving crises is an adrenaline rush! For those who have embraced Crisis & Reputation Management as their ambition and career, everything else pales. Probably because…

Getting Paid & Being Thanked

Posted on: December 9, 2012 Last updated on: July 4, 2023 Written by: Gillott Communications Categorized in: Advice

Gratitude is rare…and even more special! Usually, the best any of us can hope is that clients will pay their bills promptly. It’s rare they take the time or effort to say…

Election Edition: Wishful Thinking & Talking Heads

Posted on: November 7, 2012 Last updated on: July 4, 2023 Written by: Gillott Communications Categorized in: Current Event Analysis

The best way to disappoint a client is to over-promise and under-deliver. The two most influential newspapers in the country — the New York Times and Wall Street Journal — couldn’t…

Everybody Lies

Posted on: October 28, 2012 Last updated on: July 4, 2023 Written by: Gillott Communications Categorized in: Reputation Management

If it sounds untrue, it probably is. To quote Dr. Gregory House of the eponymously named TV series, “Everybody lies.” Sometimes not on purpose. They really believe what they’re telling you because…

To Be Effective, Simplify the Message

Posted on: October 14, 2012 Last updated on: July 4, 2023 Written by: Gillott Communications Categorized in: Strategic Communications

You need to tailor your message to your audience. After 2 1/2 weeks in Seoul, I’m over the Pacific again, flying the opposite direction. It’s been a refreshing reminder of the relativism…

Not Rocket Science…Nor for Faint of Heart

Posted on: September 23, 2012 Last updated on: July 4, 2023 Written by: Gillott Communications Categorized in: Crisis Management

No time for hesitation. No tolerance for error. Crisis & Reputation Management is a high-stakes niche — and those who do it well are a special breed. Think of it as the…

The First Million Is the Hardest

Posted on: September 16, 2012 Last updated on: July 4, 2023 Written by: Gillott Communications Categorized in: Crisis Management

Crisis PR is like saving money — harder than it looks! Once you’ve banked your first million dollars, you can put it to work for you. Which is far better than relying…

Too Much Ado

Posted on: August 6, 2012 Last updated on: July 4, 2023 Written by: Gillott Communications Categorized in: Current Event Analysis

Should I fix this? Standard Reputation Management advice: Do what you must to mend fences, lessen the fallout, and make the story go away sooner. Gimme a break! The flap about…

I Am Fully Capable of Handling This Myself…Right?

Posted on: July 30, 2012 Last updated on: July 4, 2023 Written by: Gillott Communications Categorized in: Media Relations

Do it yourself? DIY is popular for home-improvement projects. After all, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Orchard Supply Hardware built empires out of it. “I read an online article once. So, I’m an…

There are no such things as magical unicorns…or PR do-overs

Posted on: July 30, 2012 Last updated on: July 4, 2023 Written by: Gillott Communications Categorized in: Advice

Too bad these don’t exist in real life…In PR, there are no do overs. Journalists are a lot of things. Forgiving isn’t one of them. (I know, because I was one.) If…