Let’s summarize the key points of public relations handling during the gestation period of corporate crises:
1. Pay attention to the signs of crisis, focus on prevention, and kill the crisis in the gestation period.
More crises are sudden and unpredictable. It develops rapidly as soon as it occurs. During the outbreak of a crisis, communication planning is very important. Both Company A and Company B had "untrue information disclosure" during their stock listings. Therefore, the State Securities Regulatory Commission intervened in the investigation. During the investigation, the stocks of both companies were suspended from trading. As soon as the matter was announced, reporters immediately aroused the interest and rushed to the company's location for interviews. Company A warmly received the media, faced the media sincerely, and told the media their next steps, what steps, when, etc. This attitude of Company A was recognized by the media, and subsequent reports also gave investors confidence, because The attitude was good, and the China Securities Regulatory Commission quickly concluded the investigation and resumed trading soon. However, Company B hoped to hide it. When the reporter went to interview, he was told to wait in the lobby downstairs and needed to show his press card and register for the interview. The chairman's secretary would come down for a conversation. Time passed by and one person Hour after hour, the "mysterious secretary-general" whom reporters called the "mysterious secretary to the board of directors" never showed up, and no one came to look after him... Afterwards, reports similar to "What kind of tricks did XX Company engage in to keep reporters away?" appeared everywhere. Newspaper.
The two positive and negative examples that happened at the same time but had different results are quite illustrative of the problem. "Prevent fire, guard against theft, guard against reporters" is a popular saying in the corporate world, which shows how well companies generally guard against reporters. However, the so-called "covering up the truth" means that it cannot be concealed if you want to blindly conceal it. Rather than passively letting others expose the situation, it is better to actively explain the situation. Moreover, in terms of time, it is better to announce early than to announce later. Late announcement will also cause people to speculate, and avoiding reporters is the stupidest move. Let's summarize the key points of news dissemination during the crisis:
2. Don't plan to avoid reporters, but show an attitude of cooperation with reporters.
3. Protect the scene, control the development of the situation, investigate as soon as possible, find out the cause, come up with solutions, and make emergency preparations.
4. If an enterprise has engaged in improper behavior, it should make it public as soon as possible after confirmation and take positive corrective measures.
News dissemination control is more reflected in the spread period of the crisis. So what are the key points to pay attention to during this period?
Between 10:45 and 11:45 on February 5, 1986, a very serious accident occurred at the Selefield Nuclear Reaction Plant under the British Nuclear Fuel Company. The compressed air in the liquid plutonium storage tank was damaged. Under heavy pressure, some of the aerosolized plutonium leaked out of the canister. Workers swarmed out of the factory, the Amber Alert sounded, and people could tell at a glance what was going on, and the media quickly reported what was going on. News of the accident then spread.
BBC TV reporter James Wilkinson said that when he called the factory at noon, the factory’s press office was not ready to release news of the accident, and all they got was a website A wishful thinking: We are going to make a statement. The reporter only saw this statement at 4:00 pm. During this period, the reporter had been waiting with fear. The factory does not have enough press personnel to handle the calls from the outside world. Journalists found themselves waiting in line, and the uncertainty fueled unease.
In the following days, when the British Nuclear Fuel Company announced the leakage, on the one hand, it told the public that it wanted to let the public know the truth as much as possible; on the other hand, it was like squeezing a little bit of toothpaste every day. publish news. As the situation changed, the news released was inconsistent. This intensified people's panic, and every piece of news gave reporters an excuse to report continuously.
In addition, British Nuclear Fuels' press office is closed after normal working hours. When the inquirer called the company in the evening, the switchboard told him to leave his phone number and wait for the news staff to call back after they got to work.
This forces reporters to find out the facts from other channels, and the facts learned from other channels are different from what the company announced.
It is normal for a crisis to cause confusion or even panic, because there are too many things to deal with: organizing people, finding causes, launching remedial measures, answering inquiries from all aspects, and at the same time maintaining the normal operation of the enterprise. , many things are complicated, like a knot that cannot be untied, rushing together, but the more at this time, the more calm is needed.
For corporate press officers, this is also the most critical and difficult time. Everything needs people to do it, and the first priority is: organize people quickly.
5. Organize a crisis control center, which must have personnel responsible for external communication. Determine the number of people according to the size of the workload, so that communication personnel know the time, location, nature of the crisis, and the measures taken by the company, so that they can always get the latest news.
In the hours after the crisis, or in the first few days, there is not much exact information available, and the cause is still under investigation. However, if you evade or remain silent, you will be suspected of concealing it. Not cooperating with the press also causes them to seek information through other informal channels. "When you go out and fall down, you will grab a handful of dirt." Now that you are here, a dedicated reporter will not go back empty-handed.
As I just said, this period is characterized by diversity of communication channels, uncertainty in content, and a large amount of information vacuum waiting to be "filled." The second most important task for corporate press officials is to make the company itself a The most authoritative center of information, taking the initiative in reporting and maintaining good communication with the media.
6. Prepare press releases with accurate information as soon as possible to tell the public what crisis has occurred, and publish relevant background information as soon as possible to fill the information vacuum.
7. Provide reporters with on-site faxes, telephones and other communication office supplies.
8. Announce the news hotline for accepting inquiries and open it 24 hours a day if necessary.
If a company prepares press releases, background materials, and related equipment, the media will think that the company is cooperative and will generally eliminate hostility. At the same time, it will regard the company as an important source of information, so that the company can easily win the initiative.
The attitude of the company in the case of "must let the public know the truth" is commendable, but its "publishing inaccurate information like toothpaste" is a negligent act. The third party of the corporate press officer The big takeaway: maintain consistency in your messaging.
9. Make a crisis communication plan, judge and decide what information can be disseminated to the media, and by whom? And when and how to disseminate it?
10. Within the company, determine the external spokesperson. One person will be responsible for external media communication, and the others will be responsible for telephone inquiries. External spokespersons must maintain a consistent tone with others. Ordinary people should not accept interviews at will, and of course they cannot simply refuse. Instead, politely inform them of the company's external communications person and the external news hotline.
If the underlying reasons are not clearly investigated, do not publish guesswork and inaccurate reasons. Unfortunately, this point is often ignored by enterprises, and sometimes a country with a strong public relations team will also ignore it. For example, some time ago, a civil aircraft in a certain country crashed. The cause of the accident was under investigation. The president said at a press conference that the possibility of being shot down by a missile could be ruled out. However, some time later, the relevant person in charge of the Ministry of National Defense said that the possibility of being shot down by a missile could not be ruled out. There was a possibility of being shot down, but later investigation revealed that it was shot down by a missile. This inconsistent statement caused panic to the public, damaged the country's image, and weakened the president's own authority.
11. When people ask about the underlying reasons, information can only be released to the outside world after the truth of the accident is clearly known. Do not post speculation and inaccurate news.
The switchboard often becomes a company's window to the outside world and is also the media's first response to learn about corporate accidents. As a switchboard, her (his) duty is to understand the nature of the call and transfer it to the relevant departments and personnel.
12. Don’t forget to tell the switchboard that it is inappropriate to proactively provide information to the outside world, and also inform the person to whom such calls should be transferred.
Company has become the most authoritative source of information, but it does not represent, nor can it prevent the news media from obtaining information through relevant channels, such as relevant groups, employees’ families, etc., freedom of the press. The best way is to learn as much as possible about which channels and groups support the attitudes and measures taken by the company. Enlist their help, let them know that the company is actively communicating with the media, and copy the press release to these groups before sending it to the news media. To ensure that the information the news media obtains from these channels and groups is consistent with the information provided by the enterprise.
13. If possible, please copy a copy of the press release to the relevant channels that journalists will interview and explain the same situation to them.
In handling crises, companies generally take precise measures that are responsible for society and the public. These measures help weaken society's hostility to companies and enhance society's trust and confidence in companies. Before the cause of the accident is investigated, the focus should be on disseminating relevant measures. The Avon company just mentioned was infuriating in its slow and perfunctory response beforehand, but after the accident, the person in charge of the headquarters personally took action, and the attitude of doing whatever it took was worth it. Praiseworthy.
In the famous "Bhopal Massacre", Warren Anderson, chairman of the American Union Carbide Corporation, risked arrest and flew to India to conduct a first-hand investigation. When he was released by Indian officials, He did not mention his arrest by the Indian government at all, and only said: "I am most concerned about those people who have been affected by the disaster." This attitude won the sympathy of many people.
14. Tell the press the remedial measures you have taken and let them see your efforts. When necessary, the top leader can come forward to show the public that the company takes the matter seriously and enhance credibility.
In June 1996, Chen Ranzhi’s 77-year-old father Chen Boxhun from Hunan Province (who already suffered from coronary heart disease, lung infection, heart failure and other diseases at the time) was ordered by his doctor to take Sanzhu oral liquid. Skin symptoms appeared in the next three months, and he died in September after diagnosis and treatment failed. After coordination failed, Sanzhu insisted that Sanzhu Oral Liquid was not the cause of Chen's father's death. In December 1996, Chen Ranzhi sued Sanzhu Company to the Changde Intermediate People's Court. In March 1998, the Changde Intermediate People's Court made a first-instance judgment and ruled against Sanzhu Company and confiscated Sanzhu's 10 million yuan in sales profits. Sanzhu was dissatisfied and appealed to the Hunan Provincial Higher People's Court.
During this period, many media reported that the news spread rapidly from Hunan to the whole country, and the product image, corporate image, and brand image of the three plants suffered heavy losses. There were zero sales in the Hunan market for the first time, and the rest of the country was also paralyzed. At the same time, two modern production plants ceased production.
On March 25, 1999, the Hunan Provincial Higher People's Court made a final judgment and ruled that Sanzhu Company won the case. However, after winning the case, Sanzhu Chairman Wu Bingxin was still heartbroken: This lawsuit resulted in dozens of deaths from Sanzhu Company. 100 million yuan of losses and 100,000 people laid off.
Winning the lawsuit and losing the market is something a wise man would not do.
15. For victims, listen calmly to their opinions, understand the victimization situation, and confirm the relevant requirements for compensation for losses. Note that this is not the time to distinguish who is right and who is wrong, or to argue, but to offer comfort and sympathy to the victim. Provide the services they need as much as possible and do your best to deal with the aftermath. "Principle of humanity" is the general principle for handling things now.
In an enterprise's crisis management, an important method is to "guide the situation". The so-called "guidance" means to guide the situation so that things that are originally unfavorable to the enterprise will develop in a direction that is beneficial to the enterprise. , which is an important principle in corporate crisis management.
Try this example:
A newspaper in Shanghai published a shocking news: There was a dead mouse in the "Zhengguanghe" soda bottle! When consumers read this news, the results can be imagined.
"Zhengguanghe" soft drink is in an unprecedented crisis. The crisis public relations team immediately began careful analysis and inspected every process. The conclusion is that it is impossible for mice to enter the soda bottles during the production and process.
"Zhengguanghe" soda did not simply have the company come forward to explain. The basic strategy is to use facts to speak, seize the crisis, attract the public to understand the production process, and then turn bad things into good things.
The calls were made to the news media one after another. The reporters came to the factory. The factory introduced to the reporters the fourth-generation reverse osmosis water treatment technology used in the product and pointed out that "Lemon" is currently the The only beverage in China made with ultrapure water that can be used for intravenous injection, we also visited the bottle washing line and filling line. The facts are completely convincing, and the rat could only have gotten in after the customer opened the bottle.
Soon, newspapers prominently reported what the reporters saw and heard at the Shanghai Soda Factory. Through this incident, "Zhengguanghe" not only eliminated customers' doubts, but also convincingly promoted the company's advanced technology and the excellent quality of "Didi Ultrapure".
16. If possible, do a good job of "guiding" the crisis and use the media to guide the crisis in a direction that is beneficial to the enterprise.
Despite every effort, misinformation is spread due to information channels; or because the facts are concealed in appearance, or sometimes because the reporter’s interview attitude is not rigorous enough. For example, some reporters add their own Assumptions, excuses such as "according to an unnamed person", "eyewitnesses", etc. News media sometimes report inaccurately. Such inaccurate reports, if corrected without attention, will bring disaster to the enterprise.
On July 13, 1999, the front page of "China Business News" published an article "Yuanling integrated bathroom cost 400 million yuan". The beginning of the article read: "For Hunan Yuanda Group Company Boss Zhang Jianlai will not be in a good mood this year, because Yuanling integrated bathroom, a project he has invested 400 million yuan in, is facing difficulties. "The article also said: "Currently, in the Chinese market, sales are declining. Integrated bathroom companies include Haier, South Korea's LG, etc., but these are not large in scale. The one-time investment of 400 million yuan in the Yuanling project was a misjudgment of the market. According to people familiar with the matter, before the project was launched, It is true that he did not conduct a detailed market survey. He admitted that this was a big mistake. "
At that time, private enterprises were experiencing bad situations one after another. As soon as the article came out, it had a "news nose". The media immediately spread like sharks smelling blood, and people were accustomed to thinking: "Will Yuanda be next?"
This is an inaccurate report, July 20 , Zhang Jian accepted an interview with "Southern Weekend", one of China's most influential media, and denied the rumor that "Yuanling integrated bathroom investment failed". They then contacted China Business News and asked them to correct it.
On July 27, "China Business News" published an article "Correction on the report that "Far Bell Bathroom" cost 400 million yuan." The article said: "Our reporter used informal The information obtained through channels and not confirmed by Yuanda Company made erroneous reports on products such as Yuanda Air Conditioning Co., Ltd. and Yuanling Integrated Housing, which caused a negative impact on Yuanda and Yuanda. For this reason, The newspaper apologized, and at the same time made comprehensive corrections to the errors in its report.
17. For inaccurate reports, the media must be promptly requested to correct them.
Some inaccurate reports are often because the essence is hidden in the phenomenon. Human understanding itself has a process. Especially some reports are correct on the surface. At this time, the media cannot be asked to correct them. Is there any way?
Hangzhou's "Wahaha" fruit milk was randomly inspected by the local health and epidemic prevention department and it was found that the "lactic acid" content stated on the packaging did not match the measured content. announced on. As soon as this news was announced, the media in neighboring provinces reprinted it one after another. Later, "unqualified" became "harmful to consumers." The actual situation is that the "lactic acid" content stated on the package does not match the measured content, but it is still within the normal range and is harmless to consumers. However, the negative impact brought by the media caused the sales of Wahaha fruit milk to decline locally and in neighboring provinces.
Seeing that the news from the media is about to spread across the country, the national market will be affected. On the one hand, it is necessary to investigate the cause, coordinate with the local health and epidemic prevention departments, and make improvements. In addition, holding a press conference to explain the situation will have to wait until the results are mature. The timing, and at the same time, the nationwide spread waits for no one, so what should we do?
What they did was to immediately seek help from the Press and Publication Administration, the administrative department of the news media, and explained the situation to them in detail, hoping that they would come forward and ask the news media to stand in the position of protecting national enterprises. Before the cause is found out, do not spread rumors and cause public panic. In a few days, the company will hold a press conference to fully explain the matter to everyone. The Press and Publication Administration came to the rescue. Later, the major central media outlets expressed silence until the company held a press conference.
In today's era of press freedom, the news media should play its role in supervising public opinion. Is this approach of the press and publishing department correct? I think it's right. News must bear social responsibility. Many large companies have no unfair behavior towards society. In fact, even if the media has a few more days of patience, it may save a company and prevent it from being embattled on all sides. Thousands or even tens of thousands of people will lose their jobs, causing social turmoil. instability factors. However, this method is only adopted as a last resort, because as a news and publishing department, it is not good to directly interfere with the news media too much. For the news and publishing department, this is a rather difficult thing.
18. When incorrect news threatens to spread across the country, and as a last resort, you can consider explaining the situation carefully to the press and publication department and extending a helping hand to them.
In handling crisis public relations, holding a press conference or press conference is a good way. First, it can treat the public and the media in a face-to-face manner and conduct two-way communication. It is also a form of sincerely facing the public. Second, explaining the situation to the media within a concentrated period of time can alleviate the pressure on the news media and public inquiries. Third, it also helps the media to truly regard enterprises as the main channel of information sources, thereby filling the information "vacuum" with information that enterprises can control and taking the initiative in communication.
Of course, in crisis management, holding a press conference or press conference is different and much more difficult than when companies hold press conferences in normal times. At any time, companies have to face inquiries from the media and the public, and many of them are even malicious attempts to make things difficult for them, such as "unfriendly people" and "time is tight". This places higher demands on those who preside over meetings and the organization of press conferences. At the beginning of 1987, Y and three other technicians who resigned due to dissatisfaction with the management style of their original unit, a provincial printing research institute, came to Company T, a private technology enterprise, and quickly completed the "High-tech Literature and Book Periodical Editing and Typesetting System" Based on the research and development work, the technology later participated in the third science and technology exhibition of the province and won the gold medal.
Just when Company T was happy about this, two reporters from the province's Science and Technology Daily published a piece of news from the Printing Science and Technology Research Institute in the newspaper, "Company T has committed infringement." Within a few days, The Provincial Press and Publication Bureau and the Institute of Printing Science jointly held a press conference, saying: "In 1985, the state assigned the 'Advanced Typesetting System' as a key scientific research project to the Provincial Institute of Printing Science and invested 2.3 million yuan. In 1986, this The project's research achieved major results. In January 1987, Y and three other people in charge of the project suddenly announced their resignation, and took the scientific research results and main technical information completed by the research team to work at Company T. A few months later, The appraisal meeting held by Company T blatantly appropriated the scientific research results of 2.3 million yuan invested by the state as its own. Since then, the Press and Publication Bureau has repeatedly issued notices to Company T and Y and others, pointing out that this practice is an infringement. However, Company T and Y It still held exhibitions everywhere and publicly sold this scientific research result, which made it impossible to honor the contracts signed by the Printing Technology Research Institute and 12 users, causing an economic loss of 3 million yuan. Before the announcement of this infringement case, T Company had used various methods to The government requested that the case be closed privately, but in order to protect national interests, the Institute of Printing Science has prosecuted the case to the Intermediate People's Court.
"
On the same day, the TV station broadcast the press conference, which caused great repercussions in the society. As a private enterprise, T Company was accused by the government-run Printing Science Research Institute and the Press and Publication Bureau representing the country. , in our country's social environment, it is obvious who the public tends to tend to psychologically. In this case, T Company's reputation has been greatly damaged. T Company decided to hold a press conference to clarify the facts and correct the news media's misunderstandings. False reports.
The company’s public relations department began intense preparations:
First, formulate the meeting agenda and arrange a press spokesperson: the public relations minister explained the press release. The purpose of the meeting was that the company's vice president introduced the situation as a spokesperson and stated his position. The department manager directly responsible for the "Advanced Typesetting" system attended and made a supplementary speech. Y introduced how he resigned and was transferred to Company T, and the company president made a speech.
Second, prepare reporters to ask questions and invite reporters to visit the "Advanced Typesetting System"
Third, arrange two smart and capable public relations personnel to assist in news speeches.
Fourth, invite the news media, including the TV station and the Provincial Science and Technology Daily that reported on the matter last time.
After everything is ready, Company T held a press conference, and the spokesperson explained the whole story of the "Advanced Typesetting System" dispute in four aspects:
First, Company T believed that Mr. S, the director of the Institute of Printing Science, was reporting to When the press introduced the whole story of this dispute, they deliberately avoided the core of the case. The cause of the case was that Y, as an expert in computer typesetting technology, did not receive support for his work at the Institute of Printing and Technology. He was plagiarized and had poor working conditions, so he resigned. Director S's attitude towards aspiring technical experts and the so-called infringement dispute he provoked reflect a series of major issues in our country's institutional reform: This is how. How can we respect talents, how can we create an environment for all kinds of talents to give full play to their talents, what attitude should we adopt towards scientific and technological personnel, and how should some intellectuals treat those who have worked with them for many years after they have gained some power? , and other intellectuals who later came to the fore and achieved great results. This is the core of this public case.
Second, T Company believes that Director S concealed or distorted the dispute when introducing it to the press. Many important facts. First of all, Director S said that the advanced typesetting system is a scientific research project with a national investment of 3.2 million yuan. Some media have also reported that it is a microcomputer typesetting software that has been completed with the labor of only three people. It is completely contrary to common sense to invest a huge sum of 2.3 million yuan in one year. Therefore, Company T believes that this is not true. We are willing to ask Director S to provide the "Advanced Typesetting System" project from June 1985 to 1986. Regarding the list of expenditures during September, it is also recommended that the press pay attention to the true use and whereabouts of the so-called 3.2 million yuan. Secondly, Director S said that Y and other three people "suddenly announced their resignation in 1987, firstly without waiting for approval, and secondly without explaining their work. "He disappeared without a trace and took away all the information." We believe this is not true. I think it is best to let the facts speak for themselves. Please look at the factual record at that time (omitted)... In the end, Director S said, "Company T tried to keep this issue private through various channels." This was an attempt to belittle Company T. .
In order to help Comrades Y and others realize their long-cherished wish to contribute to my country's scientific and technological publishing industry, Company T did have a dialogue with Director S and reached an oral agreement. This was the only dialogue we had with Director S. After the consultation meeting, Company T never planned to contact Director S again. Instead, it reported the matter to the Provincial Science and Technology Commission and the Labor and Human Resources Department of District H, City B, and asked them to help solve the problem. How can this be said to be private? Woolen cloth?
Third, as a private technology company, T Company deeply understands the harm and losses caused to our economy by the suppression and restraint of scientific and technological personnel by the old system. Therefore, T Company has always taken measures to support and encourage scientific and technological personnel. Reasonable flow, support and encourage them to use their talents. Therefore, when Y and others had no way to return, T Company accepted them on the recommendation of relevant parties and supported them in completing scientific and technological development. This is a contribution to the country and a great contribution to the country. The contribution of the scientific and technological system. Could it be that we should be indifferent to them and turn them away when comrades such as Y have retired and have no livelihood? Could it be that when we see that their technical ideas are very good and of great significance, but when they are unable to realize them, we just let them go and remain indifferent? I think every lady and gentleman here would not agree with us doing that.
Fourth, T Company has always abided by the laws of the People's Republic of China and insisted on operating legally. Respect and protect the due interests of the country, the collective, and individuals. In the face of this legal dispute, our attitude is: respect the facts, respect the law, believe in the people, believe in the courts, and do everything we can to cooperate with the work of the judicial department. "
Then Y, on behalf of himself and two other scientific and technical personnel from the Indian Institute of Science and Technology, gave a detailed speech on "Relevant Situations Before and After Our Resignation".
After that, the company president W After expressing their views on four issues, the leaders of Company T answered reporters’ questions. After all the agenda of the press conference, the public relations department staff also made final remarks with reporters on the information provided at the press conference. After the company’s press conference, new reports appeared in the press about the province’s science and technology. The daily published an article on June 14th, "T Company has stated its position on being sued for "infringement"", and the Economic Daily published "T Company releases news, disputes over scientific research results rise again". In addition, some companies in various places including Hong Kong Newspapers reported on Company T's press conference. These reports reversed the previous "one-sided" situation of public opinion and played a major role in restoring Company T's credibility.
The final result was that Company T was one-sided. The company has won the sympathy of the public, and it should be said that Company T has been successful in public relations.
From a bystander's point of view, from a legal perspective, the real victim of this case is India. Institute of Printing and Technology, Y and other three persons are employees of the Institute of Printing and Printing. The "Advanced Typesetting System" is also a service invention, and its patent rights should be owned or held by the Institute of Printing and Printing. Although Y and other three people resigned, they have been working since January 1987. It was less than a year from September to July 1987. The work completed at Company T was related to the original unit. According to relevant laws, the patent rights should belong to the original unit. In addition, Y and other three people left without saying goodbye without approval. The handover of work, in fact, has not terminated its labor relationship with the Institute of Printing and Technology. Company T also did so intentionally. They knew that the "Advanced Typesetting System" was a development project of the original unit, but it was right to respect talents first. It is the law of the country that is being followed. Therefore, if Yinke can take these issues into consideration when developing a press conference, plan carefully, and provide sufficient explanations, T Company will have no opportunity to take advantage of it, and its argument will be weak.
Yinke. The Science Institute should have gained public sympathy, but why did Company T win the public's sympathy? The key difference lies in the public relations awareness of the two companies or institutions. At the same time, Company T also grasped the core of the problem. He expressed his willingness to cooperate with the judicial investigation and left it to the legal judgment whether there was an infringement. This kind of argument was impartial, neither humble nor condescending, and could easily win the sympathy of the public. Finally, the issue of the whereabouts of the 2.3 million yuan was further raised, causing the Institute of Indian Science and Technology to quarrel. Passively, this move can be described as a "soft threat" to the opponent.
Let’s summarize some principles for holding press conferences in crisis public relations:
19. Press conferences should be held at mature times.
If the press conference is held too early, the information may be incomplete, and there may be no solutions and measures for important issues of public concern, which will not achieve the effect, or it may have negative effects. If it is held too late, it may To fill the "information vacuum" and become the main channel for information, timing is very important.
20. Make preparations for the press conference, especially the ideological preparations. Issues of public concern must be considered thoroughly and provide satisfactory answers.
21. Pay attention to speaking with facts.
Actions speak louder than words, facts speak louder than words, use the facts themselves to explain. A fact is sometimes worth a thousand reasons. Next, let’s talk about the communication points that should be paid attention to during the weakening and dissipation period of the crisis.
By reversing the second and third stages of the crisis, the fourth stage should minimize the negative impact while establishing a positive impact.
After the Wahaha "Nanjing Incident", Wahaha appeared in major stores in Nanjing again, and advertisements reappeared on TV screens.
"Wahaha fruit milk is selling well across the board." On July 31, Wahaha Group sent this news to the news media, and on August 1, "People's Daily" published the news. The report said: "This morning, a company in Nanjing called specifically and said that more than 80 local stores" have requested to sell Wahaha fruit milk, hoping that the manufacturer will immediately ship more than 140,000 bottles of fruit milk to Nanjing and Shanghai. Tianjin, Hunan, Henan, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang and other places are also asking for goods. The Hangzhou market has fully resumed booming sales, with daily sales reaching more than 240,000 bottles.
These messages have played a great role in further dispelling the concerns of consumers and dealers and reversing the impact.
Let’s summarize the last principle in crisis public relations:
22. During the period when the crisis is weakening and dissipating, publish more positive news to minimize the negative impact. , establish a positive influence.