5 Examples of Great Crisis Communications

A crisis can happen at any moment and can make things very difficult for a business or person. You never know when they are going to happen. Consequently, it's important to always be prepared for what might happen. When you have the plan in place, it's important to put the plan into action as soon as possible.

Here, we have a list of 5 great examples of companies having disaster plans ready to go, demonstrating their plan for crisis communications. 

1. The first example is from Southwest Airlines when they had the plane land nose first at LaGuardia Airport in New York. When the plane landed, the airline was immediately on social media updating people on the situation and keeping their calm. They gave statements about what was going on. The airline's example of franchise public relations was commended by many people who gave thanks to the airline for their open communication and quick timing. 
2. The second is from the Red Cross. Social media has been known to be the cure (or at least a help) to a PR crisis, however, it has also been known to be the cause. Back in 2011, the American Red Cross had a goof on their twitter when an employee tweeted about "getting slizzerd" from the organization's twitter. The company responded with speed and assurance to their followers by saying that they'd deleted the tweet and had "taken the keys." The person at fault then responded later with a tweet from her personal twitter about how she didn't know how to use Hootsuite and was confused if she was posting to her twitter or RC's. 
3. The Hitler kettle from JC Penny. A couple years ago, JC Penny had ads featuring a kettle they recently debuted but there was a problem; in the ad, the kettle looked like Adolf Hitler. JC Penny realized that they had a situation that could turn into a really bad situation if they didn't handle it with grace. They responded to tweets about how it was unintentional and what possible redesigns they could do. 

So now we have seen some examples of great crisis communications and how it's important to have those plans in place and utilize them. Also, we see that sometimes, to help the situation, some humor helps the crisis. If you want a franchise PR agency to help you with any PR issues, then contact All Points PR. 

5 Tips- The Importance of Press Releases

If you have heard of franchise PR then chances are that you have heard of press releases; even if you have not heard of franchise PR but know of other kinds of public relations, then you most likely heard of press releases anyhow. They are a staple of the public relations industry and they hold a lot of power. While the way press releases have changed over the years due to technology and the importance of them has changed some due to new aspects of PR, the press release is still a top priority.

So if press releases are so important, how can your business benefit from a good press release from a good franchise PR agency?

1. Well, for starters, all businesses can use a good press release and benefit from them. Any industry that you are in, having press releases about your business submitted to the media can get you some results and gain exposure for your company. You do not need to have some crazy story to make a press release about your company worth while; all you need is news about your company. 
2. It is a relatively cost-effective way to gain exposure for your company. With press releases, the only real expense for your business is the fee for hiring a franchise public relations agency or if you write them yourself, then whatever you pay yourself. To submit a release does not cost money and having them printed does not cost money. If you compare this to paying for an ad, then you will see that it is much cheaper than even a TV ad on a local channel at 2 AM. 
3. A press release will get you increased exposure in the media. If you get increased exposure in the media then you will be noticed by more of the public. When people in the public know about your company, then you have a much better chance of being on their minds, which is what encourages them to check you out and utilize your services or purchase your products. 
4. A press release gives you credibility. If people see your business and like what you have to say, then they will regard what you say as trustworthy. When people believe your are trustworthy because you have the right credibility, then they believe they can trust your company and what you have to offer. 
5. People can keep up on your business if you notify the media. When people are able to keep up on the news about your business then there is less doubt. If there are people who want ton know more about your company, such as investors, then they will want to know the latest info. 

So a press release is a big deal for companies who want to gain customers and get larger. If you do not currently utilize the power of the press release, then you are missing some real fire power. Contact All Points PR - a franchise public relations agency. 

Social Media Etiquette

So social media has just about infiltrated its way into the heart of human life; almost everyone uses social media to some extent; maybe you only use one social media platform and/or you only post to your social media account(s) once every few months. Regardless of how much you are invested in social media, there are certain unwritten rules, or social media etiquettes, that those of us who do use are expected to obey. Whether you are in the world of PR like franchise PR or marketing or some other vocation, on your personal social media accounts, you should be doing your own PR by following social media etiquette.

1. Be careful who you friend/follow. This day and age of social media, we like to be popular on those platforms; the idea of having thousands of "friends" or followers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. are very intriguing and exciting. However, the people you friend/follow or let follow you can bite you in return. When people, like potential employers, see you following someone or someone following you who is less than respectful or appropriate, it can look bad on you. 
2. Be careful of what you post. It can be easy and even tempting to post something on social media when we are angry, sad, or intoxicated but these can be less than opportunistic times to post to social media. If you are angry at someone and decide to post it on one of your accounts, then someone else can see it and it can become popular and you can get stuck in a bad situation later; even if you delete the posting but someone shared it already, then there is not much you can do to undo the damage. Poorly planned social media posts have gotten people in trouble many times. 
3. Take a deep breath. This is almost a sub point of the second point because it is more focused on the posting while angry point. If someone posts on social media and the post offends you in some way, take a deep breath and walk away for a few minutes or even longer. Posting something while angry might feel good in the moment but it will not del so good later on when you have calmed down (and especially if there are repercussions from your post). 
4. Watch the photos. Posting photos on social media is half the fun of social media but some photos we take should not go up there. A classic example of photos to watch out for are the ones that were taken while intoxicated. Sure, the times were fun but posting a photo on social media of someone, or even yourself, being drunk or foolish might not be so fun later on. A big thing to consider if you do indeed do this is whether or not to tag someone; you do not know who that person is fiends with or what they are allowed to post so don't post without their consent. 

As someone at a franchise PR agency, I can tell you that social media etiquette is not just for those who take social media seriously, it is for those who don't want to have lame regrets later on from something they could've totally avoided. 

Successful Uses of Social Media in Franchise PR

Social media is all about being out there in the open. Being out there in front of people. So naturally, social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and others are great for keeping your franchise public relations efforts in front of people. In addition to getting you noticed by the general public in an easy way, it is a great way to monitor the talk about your company and do any necessary damage control or crisis communications. 

So what are some ways that social media can really make an impact for your franchise PR efforts?

1. Monitor the chatter about your brand. People talk about companies on social media all the time; if you were to do a search for a company on twitter or FB, you would find they name coming up in tweets and posts and not just the ones coming from that particular company. You will be able to find their name and keywords there. So, you can see what people are saying about the brand, their thoughts, and who is a fan. 
2. Sharing the news. When you have something good happen or other news related about your company, social media is there for you to use as a vessel to let people know. Another great reason to spread the good news is for other companies (that you're friends with) and let people know you support other business. It looks really good for your company to show love to other companies. 
3. Post photos of interviews with exciting photos. When you have an interview with someone, take a picture of them with the interviewer and post it on your social media accounts, especially Instagram, as a way to promote the interview so people will watch it or read about it. 
4. Have special news exclusively for social media. Try to create a few special messages for social media when doing an interview or other events; include a sit for social media messaging. Write some tweets or FB posts about the information and just copy it onto your social media accounts. Why do this? It will help spread the news and doing so in an easy way. 
5. Let people know you're a resource. Journalists have resources to turn to for information that they need for stories; with your social media, you can establish yourself as a source for journalists. Check out their conversation about your industry and see what is happening. See when they turn to twitter for a request of information because you can be the first one to respond if you're fast enough. 
6. Keep watch for opportunities. Browse social media for journalist inquiries and insert yourself for your client and get them noticed. 

Social media is not just for fun and for the kiddos; it can be a real asset for a franchise PR agency and help them increase their results for getting clients noticed and their brands. 

10 of the Biggest PR Disasters of the 2000s

Companies all have good ideas and they have bad ideas. Sometimes something looks good on paper and then loses its luster when you see it actually play out. We see companies have a PR crisis that was either created by their own hands or by the hands of someone else; regardless, when a company has a PR crisis, it must be fixed.

In this post we will review ten of the worst public relations disasters of the last 13 years and take a walk down memory lane. These are not necessarily in a ranking of worst to less worst, etc. They are just a collection of unfortunate corporate moments; you get to decide which was the worst!

1. The Bridgestone Tire fiasco. Remember this one? In 2000, Bridgestone had numerous reports about having tires that they made blowout while being driven; one car that had trouble with these tires in particular was the Ford Explorer. The problem had apparently started before 2000 but it was not acknowledged until that year when there was an investigation. It was reported that the tires had caused 200 deaths. 
2. Smoking has positive effects remark. Back in the early 2000s, 2001 to be exact, Philip Morris made a remarks that took many people by surprise; Philip Morris said that smoking would actually be good for the world because of how it caused early deaths of smokers. What was their reasoning for this? They tried to say that the early deaths would save millions in healthcare costs. 
3. Poor child attire for Abercrombie & Fitch. Still, even after hearing of lash back from consumers against other clothing makers, A&F decided that making thongs and racist shirts for their clientele would be a wise idea. First, they released the shirts and thought that people would enjoy them. After the backlash, they decided to release the thongs. Yes, they tried to defend both decisions. 
4. The racist board game. Remember this one? Maybe or maybe not, this one gained awareness but not as much as the previous PR faux pas. In 2003, Urban Outfitters decided to sell their own version of Monopoly called "Ghettopoly." You would steal property, get your neighborhood addicted to crack, etc. 
5. Janet & JT wardrobe malfunction. In the 2004 Super Bowl half-time show, Timberlake was supposed to rip off part of Janet Jackson's jacket and reveal… something. Well, a little more came off than what was expected and her breast was briefly exposed; people quickly then dubbed this Nipplegate. 
6. Terrell Owens & Nicollette Sheridan ad. Soon after Janet & JT debacle, ABC aired a commercial that featured Terrell Owens and Nicollette Sheridan in the Eagles locker room; Sheridan was supposed to be seducing T.O. This might not have been a great idea at any time but so soon after the Super Bowl half-time show ordeal? It flopped real quick. 
7. Cartoon Network & bomb confusion. In 2007, Cartoon Network decided to do some guerrilla marketing for their show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" by placing little light-up signs around Boston in various spots. Unfortunately, they did not have enough context or explanation and so many residents confused the signs with bomb danger. 
8. JetBlue holds passengers on planes for 11 hours. In 2007, JetBlue flights at JFK were held up for a whopping 11 hours on the runway. Why? Well, for good reason, there was nasty weather and the flights could not take off. However, the problem was in their decision to not return to the gates to let passengers leave but rather keep them on the planes the whole 11 hours. 
9. Pleases & thank you's of bailout money. In 2008, the Great Recession was in full swing and many huge corporations were in financial trouble. Fortunately, the government had offered bailout money to the companies that needed it to stay in business. The problem was how some of them asked for it and how some of them showed their thank you's. 
1. How they asked for it: Automakers Chrysler, GM, and Ford flew to D.C. on private jets to ask for the bailout money. Yes, luxurious private jets. 
2. How they said thank you: AIG threw a company retreat at the renowned St. Regis in California that totaled $443,300. 
10. Dominoes started to fall. In 2009, two Domino's employees posted videos on the web of them doing rather distasteful things The videos went viral & it took Domino's two days to respond to the issue; by the time they did, the damage was already done and almost unfixable. 

The world of public relations is sometimes a tough one and with the world being more technological than ever, PR has gotten both easier and harder. The world of franchise PR is in the same boat. If you are looking for a franchise PR firm to help your company gain exposure and be prepared for a fiasco, then hire All Points PR - a Chicago franchise public relations agency.