Oct
13
2016
5 top tips: how to represent your organisation in the media
Put yourself in the situation: the organisation you work for is renowned for its fantastic reputation, but one day you walk into the office and something has happened that has put that reputation at risk. It’s your job to speak to the press and keep the reputation intact, are you prepared?
A good reputation is one of the most important assets an organisation can have. It can take years to build, but it can be lost overnight. How you present yourself in media interviews has a direct impact on the public’s opinion of your organisation as a whole, so these can be a very daunting.
It can be overwhelming to think about all the different scenarios whilst representing your organisation in a media crisis, but it is important to keep a level head and communicate information clearly. We’ve put together five top tips to remember in times of crisis:
Remember the five C’s
- Clarity – Ensure you keep your messages simple and clear.
- Concrete illustrations – Use clear illustrations and examples to back up what you are speaking about.
- Cut out the jargon – The audience will become disengaged if you use language that is difficult to understand.
- Control – Set the agenda and use bridging to bring back your messages.
- Conversational tone - Communication is key, using colour and a warm tone will keep the audience engaged.
Managing a media crisis
Our course Managing a media crisis with journalist and communications professional Tess Woodcraft, is ideal for anyone who wants to build their confidence in the area of media management in a crisis, including PR professionals, managers and emergency planning personnel. This course will help you recognise danger signs and give you the tools to prevent a media crisis. So, if a crisis hits, you will have the ability to handle it well so your organisation emerges stronger than before.
Interested in learning more? Find out more information about our Managing a media crisis course and explore our other communications courses.
