OriginBlu Communications Blog

Image by renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We’re in the fortunate position of being really busy, which is fantastic. You certainly won’t hear us complaining about that!

In our little hive we have four permanent bees and one freelancer (who seems to enjoy having the freedom to flit about further afield), and all of us spend our days buzzing from project to project, pollinating them with our creative genius (it’s our blog, own horn tooting is allowed).

We’re each in charge of a different section in the company, and while there is definitely overlap, we occasionally end up operating like little islands. This in itself isn’t the end of the world however, because we’re all more than capable of captaining our own ships (how slick was that jump from the island analogy to the ship one?).

It does mean though, that we don’t always touch base as often as we’d like.

Towards the end of last year we decided to have status meetings first thing every morning. We’d talk about what we had on the cards for the day, ask for help when it was needed, brainstorm ideas, and in a sense, set our intention for the day.

This worked really well, but looking back with the clear perspective that the New Year so often affords one, we’re able to recognise that meeting on a daily basis was perhaps overshooting.

We still need to touch base though, because the value gained from doing so is exponential. On a good day the energetic exchange that comes from sharing ideas fuels us, causing us to think outside the box and look at things from a different point of view. And on an average one, just being able commiserate about the length of our to-do list is enough.

With that in mind we’ve now committed to meeting on Mondays for a ‘let’s get all fired up for the week ahead’ session, and then again on Friday to wind down and talk about how things went for us.

Because at the end of the day, no woman is an island and every captain needs a crew.

Image by winnond / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What a week it has been. This is the very first blog post of Originblu’s that is late. Not a good start to 2012, but I promise – my reasons are sound!

Floods prevented my timely communication. Not floods in my inbox (although I did spend a large part of my first week back circumventing a deluge of messages), but floods of a more devastating kind. A cyclone hit Mozambique, causing torrential rains over much of the Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Reserve, and Hoedspruit areas. The resulting devastation was catastrophic for many.

As the online communications agent for a number of clients in the affected areas, our cogs spun into overdrive and we were catapulted headfirst into three days of non-stop CRISIS COMMUNICATING.

And so we arrive at the topic for this week’s blog post.

How do you react in a crisis? Do you deflect? Or do you tackle your audience head on?

Crisis (CRY-SIS): noun; Any situation that is threatening or could threaten to harm people or property, seriously interrupt business, damage reputation or negatively impact share value’.

Communicating is not something that is only done in time of plenty. It is especially important at times of distress. Silence will not score any brownie points – not in this age of the omnipresent web and social media. If you do not sp”e”ak up, someone else will. And it is not likely that they will sing your praises!

There are a few simple steps, which I believe, outline the way any business should handle a situation of crisis.

1. Put the victim (actual or potential) first!
2. Establish the spokesperson
3. Establish the message
4. Establish the mediums
5. Communicate consistently
6. Follow through on promises made
7. BE HONEST!

Put the victim first

Repeat this one a number of times if need be! If you put the victims who stand to be affected by the crisis first, and base your standpoint accordingly, you can’t go wrong. Getting on the defensive is never the way to go. How to lose friends and alienate people? Be defensive.

Establish a primary spokesperson

While no one expects Shakespeare, the company spokesperson should be eloquent, and his or her grammar, impeccable. As releases are often quoted on other third party sites, you don’t want to get caught with an ‘oops’ in your spelling either.  Your spokesperson must also be informed, know the company and its policies, and be available 24/7 for the duration of ‘the situation’. This spokesperson essentially becomes the voice box of the company.

Establish the message

What is your company’s standpoint? Establish this upfront, and be firm on all angles that could potentially be directed at the company – especially the negative ones.

It is essential that all stakeholders speak with one voice. Make sure all staff members are in the loop, and that a very clear channel of communication is established for questions that are more difficult to answer.

Establish the mediums

Where will you communicate your message? The most effective channels are social media networks, but do not forget that many people are not yet hooked up to the likes of Facebook and Twitter, and many have been banned from using these platforms during working hours. Some prefer more traditional mediums such as email, while others will automatically head over to your website. Make sure you use all of these platforms to send your message. And if you choose to use Facebook as the preferred medium for your updates (it’s quick, efficient, immediate, and not very labour intensive), then let your audience know where they can find the page with a direct link, as well as providing contact details should they prefer to speak to someone in the know. Telephonic contacts must be fully briefed, and possess good customer relationship skills.

Communicate consistently

Even if you do not have explosive updates, keep your community informed of any news. This establishes trust and credibility. Don’t sit and bank up all of your updates to go in one big bulk communiqué.  Keep updates regular, simple, and to the point. Being pro-active instead of reactive makes things easier for all concerned.

A promise is a promise

Never is this statement more important than at a time of crisis communicating. Do not write anything that that you are not 100% sure you will be able to follow through on. And be specific on what your readers can expect when you are sure. If you say you will follow up within the hour, do so.

Be Honest!

Do not ever make empty statements simply to make things easier for yourself or the company. The truth always triumphs at the end of the day – although it may well be the more difficult avenue.  It is almost guaranteed that honesty will win. And in fact, many brands have gained favour by being humble, transparent, and 100% truthful – even if it means taking a knock on the chin.

So in this day and age where information is power, make sure you are in the right position to give the right information, in the right places, and at the right time.  And never make the false assumption that ‘It will never happen to me….”. Your pants and your ankles could become well acquainted in no time at all.

Mich

Apparently the world is going to end this year, on the 21st of December to be precise. Even if it does, and I have my doubts, that still leaves us almost 12 months to do something remarkable with the time we have left. You could argue that there’s no point in wasting time creating something of value when it’s only going to be destroyed by some random cataclysmic event, but what if your efforts made a real difference in the life of just one person?

I don’t buy into the theory that life as we know it will be no more come December, but even if I did I think I’d still opt to have one last go at leaving behind a legacy. Rendering myself comatose from watching too many Dallas reruns isn’t my idea of a good time; I think Seth Godin’s challenge to start a movement is far more exciting.

Leading the charge isn’t for everyone, but that doesn’t mean we have to aspire to mediocrity. It’s not a case of either or, rather it’s about showing up moment to moment to moment as the best possible version of you, while at the same time doing your level best to make a difference in a whatever way works for you.

Don’t settle.

Decide on what it is you want to get out of 2012, and then go after it in the same way a man whose hair is on fire goes after water.  Because as much as work is about paying the bills and keeping the fridge stocked, it should also be about having fun and being creative.

In Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, T. Harv Ekker encourages us to rate the product or service we are currently offering (or are planning to offer) from 1 to 10 in terms of how much we believe in its value. If the result is 7-9, he says we need to revise the product or service to increase the value. And if the result is below 6, the suggestion is that we stop offering whatever it is we’re currently offering and start representing something we truly believe in.

I encourage you to make 2012 memorable for more than just the year the world almost ended.

Ang