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Crisis Communications MAYDAY Gerard Braud Crisis Expert

Crisis Communications: Mayday! Mayday! Help Me! Help Me!

April 29, 2019/0 Comments/in Crisis Communications /by gbraud

By Gerard Braud, CSP, Fellow IEC

In the world of crisis communications, May should be a pivotal time for crisis communications plans, spokesperson media training, crisis drills, and vulnerability assessments.

Why?

The phrase “Mayday, Mayday” is the international distress call.

Mayday got its start as an international distress call in 1923. Reportedly, it was the idea of Frederick Mockford, who was a senior radio officer in London. The phrase was selected in part because it sounded like the French word “m’aider,” which means “help me.”

May isn’t an official time for crisis communications planning and preparations, but we can start. Mayday! Mayday! Help Me! Help Me!

Need help?

There are five steps to effective crisis communications. In January I issued a dare to all of my followers to spread those five steps out over the year. (If you want a deeper dive on the five steps, sign up for my free five part video series on The Five Steps to Effective Crisis Communications.)

The 5 Steps To Effective Crisis Communications Include:

Conducting an initial Vulnerability Assessment
Writing your Crisis Communications Plan
Writing a library of pre-written news releases
Conducting annual media training for your spokespeople
Conducting an annual crisis communications drill

Many people have taken the challenge and moved forward. I’m thrilled at the response.

Not surprisingly, many have done nothing. As predicted when I issued the challenge in January, many people get trapped in a winter funk and delay decisions and actions until spring.

Spring has sprung. Get to work if you haven’t done so yet. But, pretty soon, people will disappear for summer vacation and projects, training, and decisions will get once again get delayed.

Mayday! Mayday! Help Me! Help Me!

No one can rescue you if you keep waiting for the most perfect time to take the first step or the next step in your crisis communications planning. Just as a disaster or crisis doesn’t wait for the most perfect time, neither should you wait for the most perfect time.

Be a leader and lead. If you are a good leader, others will want to follow. Pick a step; pick a date; invite people to participate.

If you feel the need to shout “Mayday! Mayday! Help Me! Help Me!” do it. I’m standing by to answer your distress call.

Crisis communications and media training expert Gerard Braud, CSP, Fellow IEC is based in New Orleans. Organizations on five continents have relied on him to write their crisis communications plans and to train their spokespeople. He is the author of “Don’t Talk to the Media Until…”

The PIO and the Right to Know: 2nd Annual Communications Summit

March 13, 2019/0 Comments/in Crisis Communications /by gbraud

By Gerard Braud, CSP, Fellow IEC

I’m thrilled to be the opening keynote speaker for the 2nd Annual PIO and the Right to Know Communications Summit at Wayne State University in Detroit.

Crisis communications and crisis communications planning is hard work. We’ll tackle every aspect of it.

To help attendees, this page serves as a resource page for my presentation called:

When “It” Hits the Fan

Download your handouts here:

Download a PDF of my slides here https://braudcommunications.com/pdf/2019-PIO.pdf

Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerardbraud/

Connect on Twitter @gbraud

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BraudCommunications/

Website https://braudcommunications.com/

Email Gerard@BraudCommunications.com

To learn more about the 5 Steps to Effective Crisis Communications, click here. You will receive five 10-minute videos that go more in-depth on each of the five steps.

Crisis communications and media training expert Gerard Braud, CSP, Fellow IEC is based in New Orleans. Organizations on five continents have relied on him to write their crisis communications plans and to train their spokespeople. He is the author of “Don’t Talk to the Media Until…”

MIC of Colorado 2019: We Have a Situation

March 11, 2019/0 Comments/in Crisis Communications /by gbraud

It is great to be in Denver to speak to the Meetings Industry Council of Colorado. Like all other businesses, the meetings industry is finding it is vulnerable to having a serious crisis at a conference, convention, or event. For the sake of discussion, we will define a crisis as any situation that escalates to the point at which it can damage an organization’s reputation and revenue. Read more

How is Gardening Like Crisis Communications Planning?

February 20, 2019/0 Comments/in Crisis Communications /by gbraud

By Gerard Braud, CSP, Fellow IEC

How does your personal life reflect who you are in your professional life? In my life it is easy. All you have to do is look at my backyard garden. It personifies my professional life in crisis communications planning.

Two things about this garden should catch your attention.

First: I use boxes instead of rows, which means I’m making a long-term commitment as a yard-to-table gardener.

Secondly: I have already tilled the soil and begun planting my garden in February, which means 60 days from now, I might be eating the first big, juicy Louisiana Creole tomato, if I don’t get an artic blast or a freeze.

What happens in my garden now, affects what happens 60, 90, and 180 days from now.

Your approach to crisis communications should be the same way in 2019. You should be putting dates on the calendar now for the fruit you want to harvest later this year.

This year, you can easily execute all 5 Steps to Effective Crisis Communications. If you’d like more details, just sign up for my free 5-day video class.

Under the 5-Steps process, right now in cold February, you should be working on your 2019 Vulnerability Assessment.
By late March and early April you should be working on your crisis communications plan and it should be ready to harvest 60 days from now.
In May, June, and July, you should be creating a library of pre-written news releases.
Next, you will schedule Media Training for your spokespeople, followed by a Crisis Communications Drill.

Can it be done? Yes, it takes planning. Do It Now!

Can you do it yourself or should you hire someone like me? Well, you can plant your own garden and harvest your own vegetables – which takes a lot of time and work. Or, you can go to the store and buy what you need for immediate gratification.

I’ve invested 4,000 hours into the crisis communications plans and the library of pre-written news releases that I license to companies all around the word. The entire system is delivered in just two days. Think about it – 4,000 hours means you would have to work 40 hours a week on nothing but crisis communications for two entire years to have what I’ve created… or you can call me at 985-624-9976 and in two days, you are feasting on the fruits of my labor.

Whether you do it yourself or ask me to be your strategic partner, if you have questions, please give me a call.

Crisis communications and media training expert Gerard Braud, CSP, Fellow IEC is based in New Orleans. Organizations on five continents have relied on him to write their crisis communications plans and to train their spokespeople. He is the author of “Don’t Talk to the Media Until…”

NFL Super Bowl 2019: Is the NFL in Crisis?

February 13, 2019/0 Comments/in Braudcast /by gbraud

By Gerard Braud, CSP, Fellow IEC

On last week’s BraudCast we asked you if the NFL is in a crisis. In this week’s BraudCast video we share your answers.

By my standards, a crisis is anything that can damage a brand’s reputation and revenue. Keep this crisis definition in mind as you watch this week’s video, which shares answers from our viewers.

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As you think about the NFL and their potential crises, what are the potential crises for your brand?

In our 5 Steps to Effective Crisis Communications free online course, we point to Step 1 – your Vulnerability Assessment. Just as the NFL needs to conduct a Vulnerability Assessment, you should be doing the same thing at your company. The new year is a perfect time to kick off the practice.

To learn more about Vulnerability Assessments and the other four steps, sign up for our free 5-part video series.

I’d love to know what vulnerabilities you identify for your organization. Take advantage of the free phone call offered in the 5-Steps video series. We can talk about what your vulnerabilities are and how you can either eliminate them or prepare a crisis communications strategy to deal with them.

This question is one of a series of debates in the media relations, crisis communications, public relations, and social media industries where you and your colleagues can share observations with each other. Yes, YOU are invited to share your bite size bits of best practices. Here is how:

Step 1: Subscribe to The BraudCast on YouTube

Step 2: You will see a short video that poses a new question every Monday. You then post your best practices and observations on The BraudCast YouTube channel.

3: Once your opinion is shared, you can follow the discussion online so you can compare your best practices to those of your professional colleagues.

Step 4: Watch the Follow up Friday Video where you will see a short YouTube video outlining some of the most interesting observations. Yes…your comments may actually show up on our BraudCast video, bringing you world-wide fame, fortune, a big raise, glory, street parades, and more.

Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge. Please take 2 seconds now to subscribe to The BraudCast.

Is the NFL Brand in Crisis With Their Customer?

February 5, 2019/0 Comments/in Braudcast /by gbraud

By Gerard Braud, CSP, Fellow IEC

Please share your opinion. Is the NFL brand in crisis with their customers? Share your answers either here on this blog, watch the video here and comment on The BraudCast YouTube Channel, or Tweet your thoughts to us @gbraud.

In the past two weeks we’ve seen a variety of controversies and issues:

1) The no-call double penalty against my beloved New Orleans Saints during the NFC playoff game.

2) Potential halftime performers were chased away by people who thought performing was an affront to Collin Kaepernick.

3) Those who did perform were criticized by those who support Collin Kaepernick.

4) Roger Goodell failed to talk to the media about the blown call in the Saints game until he was forced to at the pre-Super Bowl news conference.

5) Fans were critical of the game score and lack of excitement.

6) Fans were critical of the halftime show.

7) Fans were critical of the ads.

8) Saints fans boycotted watching television to affect the ratings, while attending their own Boycott Bowl parties.

9) Roger Goodell was booed by fans during the Super Bowl trophy presentation.

So, is the NFL facing a crisis? Is the NFL brand in crisis? Is the NFL facing customer volatility and failing to recognize the potential damage to their reputation and revenue?

Tell us what you think.

This question is one of a series of debates in the media relations, crisis communications, public relations, and social media industries where you and your colleagues can share observations with each other. Yes, YOU are invited to share your bite size bits of best practices. Here is how:

Step 1: Subscribe to The BraudCast on YouTube

Step 2: You will see a short video that poses a new question every Monday. You then post your best practices and observations on The BraudCast YouTube channel.

3: Once your opinion is shared, you can follow the discussion online so you can compare your best practices to those of your professional colleagues.

Step 4: Watch the Follow up Friday Video where you will see a short YouTube video outlining some of the most interesting observations. Yes…your comments may actually show up on our BraudCast video, bringing you world-wide fame, fortune, a big raise, glory, street parades, and more.

Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge. Please take 2 seconds now to subscribe to The BraudCast.

Crisis communication resources to help you protect your revenue, reputation, and brand.

Welcome to Our Crisis Communication Blog

Crisis Communications: Mayday! Mayday! Help Me! Help Me!

The 5 Steps To Effective Crisis Communications Include:

The PIO and the Right to Know: 2nd Annual Communications Summit

When “It” Hits the Fan

Download your handouts here:

MIC of Colorado 2019: We Have a Situation

How is Gardening Like Crisis Communications Planning?

NFL Super Bowl 2019: Is the NFL in Crisis?

Is the NFL Brand in Crisis With Their Customer?

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