The Public Relations Blog

Urban Meyer’s denial made a crisis situation more complicated

In any line of communication, the audience must trust you. Your message needs to be clear and straightforward. This prevents any confusion or feelings of distrust that may arise if your audience doesn’t believe your message.

These steps could have helped Ohio State in its initial stages of crisis communications

It’s been two months since the controversy regarding Ohio State University’s coaching staff became public, and yet, it’s still the main storyline of the Buckeyes’ season. There are crisis communication steps Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer could have initially taken to prevent the escalation of the situation.

3 ways to shift the storyline and spotlight your company

Did you know that seasoned professional journalists use three independent sources when researching, interviewing, and compiling information for a typical news article? In an era of “fake news,” this approach ensures that information is accurate, unbiased, and fair when compared to one-sided narratives that clog newsfeeds. Yet, sensationalized stories are the ones that gain traction and viral exposure. How, then, can companies earn media coverage and rise above the fray? The answer is simply to be provocative.

3 critical factors to crisis communications

Mere days ago, in my hometown, a series of explosions and fires from natural gas leaks caused catastrophic damage, including fatalities, the destruction of homes, and the displacement of more than 8,000 families. At the epicenter of the devastation and mass evacuations of three Massachusetts towns stood Columbia Gas.

How crisis communications is becoming more necessary in college athletics

Allegations and subsequent scandals have rocked some big-name college athletics programs over the last several years. Given the 24/7 news cycle that currently operates, these instances show a shift toward the need for crisis communications for an industry whose traditional media coverage focuses on the outcome of a game.

Promote your company and its accomplishments

Congratulations on making it to the Inc. 5000 list! Whether your company is No. 1 or No. 5,000, it’s a tremendous honor to receive, and it’s time to spread the word of your company’s achievement. So, where should you start? There are thousands of ways for you to share with employees, customers, and the public that your hard work has paid off. OK, so we may not have 5,000 ideas. However, we do have 25 ways for your company to celebrate, in addition to our original 16 ways to promote your Inc. 5000 honor. Feel free to substitute the number 5,000 with your exact ranking number on the list.

How to turn website visitors into customers

Building, developing, designing, or redesigning a website is a large project for anyone to pursue. There’s much to consider when creating your site, aside from color schemes and placement. Content is what brings your website to life, enabling you to create and share your company’s story the way you want to tell it.

It’s just a matter of time before a crisis hits, and if you’re not prepared, it will show. Following the three R’s of a crisis: regret, reform, and restitution will help your company handle the situation and protect your reputation. Here are five tips to help you manage a crisis.

4 things to consider before you send that press release

When you return to work from a week-long vacation, you probably find a plethora of emails awaiting your attention. For reporters, this is an everyday occurrence. Most of them receive more emails daily than they could ever get to in a single work day.

Why your organization should have a Facebook group

Facebook groups have become part of our daily Facebook use, and most people belong to multiple groups. While Facebook groups are extremely useful in general, they have a huge impact when you use them in your marketing strategy along with your company’s business page. Here are three reasons why.