Government agencies and private companies are hosting public virtual meetings, and some include audiences of more than 100 participants. The virtual meetings include presentations and answering questions. But beware. Zoom meetings can zip along faster than expected. You might feel overwhelmed, and people will complain if things don’t run smoothly. Don’t expect perfection. Anticipate some […]
Avoid Mayhem During Large Zoom Meetings Read More »
COVID-19 might be leading school districts to communicate with parents and staff more than ever before. Mitigation plans. Differing opinions. Heated topics. Staying one step ahead is difficult. Here are seven tips to consider for communicating in this complex environment: Messaging points in emails to families and staff should include more than facts. The emails
7 Tips For Schools On Communicating About COVID-19 With Parents And Staff Read More »
As school years start amid the pandemic, leadership at school districts want to instill confidence among students and families that they have put significant thought into confronting different situations and are prepared as possible. The situation is difficult, but school leadership should provide clear plans. This is not the time to hesitate to hold discussions.
News Media Questions Schools Should Expect About COVID-19 Read More »
There often are more effective alternatives for communicating than the traditional news release or simply sending out a statement for people to read. However, public and business leaders still frequently take the more traditional approach to grab attention and reach an audience. Often, few really care what you’re sharing. How do you grab headlines this
Arizona Leaders’ Statements Offer Communication Lessons For Businesses Read More »
Our article first appeared in AZ Big Media. Coronavirus propelled companies into crisis mode. The situation is unusual, but most organizations take an unprepared, let’s-wing-it approach to handling crisis communications even during normal times. And when companies mishandle a crisis, they make a messy situation uglier. Without a detailed action plan, a business can jeopardize
Communicating In The Age Of Coronavirus: Is Your Company Winging It? Read More »
Our yellow Labradors, Marvel and Stormy, are 15 months old, sisters and best friends. (In the photo, Stormy is on the left. Marvel is on the right.) We scheduled a time for a veterinarian to spay them. We dropped the dogs off, but the vet called us later. She said Marvel’s blood-work showed high levels
How A Veterinarian Messed Up A Crisis Response Read More »
As I stood in a ballroom of managers while I delivered a presentation about proactively setting your organization’s public messaging, I speculated that too many members of the audience, despite my warnings, would still not prepare for a crisis until a crisis actually crept up to their company’s virtual front doors. If those managers were
Iowa Caucuses: Stay Out Of The Shadows During Crisis Communications Read More »
When people first launch a business, they often rationalize poor decisions to earn money. They take on clients covered in red flags. They lower already reasonable fees. They agree to projects that require magic wands to genuinely achieve success. Generally speaking, PR firms mean well and persuade themselves their talents and hard work can earn
Public Relations: Someone Offered To Pay Us With Gift Cards For Sushi Read More »
The printer we purchased less than a month ago ran low on ink. We needed to print important papers for a meeting the next day. We planned to drive to Target or OfficeMax to buy printer ink, but Amazon offered to deliver ink by 10pm that same day. I texted my parents: “We ordered printer
Public Relations: The Day Amazon Delivered Us Free, Same-Day Printer Ink Read More »
A lawyer once told us he never takes on new clients unless he genuinely believes he can win their cases. In nearly any industry, money can persuade us to partner with difficult clients. We rationalize ignoring our instincts and red flags. But the benefits of short term clients generally are the equivalent to business one-night
You Might Be A Bad PR Client If … Read More »
