If something bad has happened, then think about this. You will be remembered more for how you manage the issue (including the media and communicating with those affected) than for what the issue was about.

A very good example of this was the damage which David Cameron has done to his reputation over the past week or so. Rather than be open and transparent with the media from the outset, the story unfolded painfully over several days. Not good PR.

The £6.2 million glossy brochure about the EU Referendum didn’t help either and it’s uncanny how if you are on a back foot with one issue the media will try to knock you to the floor with any other negative story they get hold of. By the way, I can’t work out how on earth the ‘production’ of the glossy brochure (not including print) was half a million pounds. That’s ridiculous. I clearly need to promote our agency more!

So the approach to take with your issue is to be prepared. Take control, gather facts, talk through with your PR adviser and seek their advice on managing the media (and social media) effectively. Be open and transparent and as well as your press statement have a Q & A ready (‘for use if asked’) to help answer difficult questions. Make your spokesperson available to the media and communicate directly with all those affected, preferably before your issue gets into the public domain.

Managing our clients’ reputations in a crisis is one of Genesis PR’s core services and we help take the heat out of the issue by managing the media professionally. We also advise on social media tactics in a crisis, to prevent or slow it from going viral.

For help and advice do get in touch with us at hello@genesispr.co.uk or call 01473 326400.