Hillside Media Training

How do big name businesses like Toyota and Eurostar still get communications so wrong in this highly sophisticated era of media onslaught? It is fascinating that these companies have possibly never practised a crisis day in terms of how to get the basic communications right. And if they did  – did their executives actually take on board the consultants’advice who probably talked them through the implications of what happens when it goes wrong?

Not to do a global product recall is a disaster. Remember Perrier Water? They recalled contaminated water bottles in the US but not in Europe. Sales went down the sink with the water and they lost market leadership of what was a multi billion $ market. This can be very costly as Toyota will discover.

How do you keep your hands on the steering wheel in a crisis and not end up in the buffers? Get trained by us! Check out our crisis training package.

TOP CRISIS TIPS

1. Have a clear chain of command who have all been media trained

2. Respond IMMEDIATELY – call a press conference & take control. Practise press conferences – they are an art-form!

3.  If it’s a faulty product  remove it worldwide – not in just one country – we live with GLOBAL media – other countries will learn about it online or on TV & wonder why you haven’t bothered with them – this is when the panic and distrust starts.

Come on Katie you can’t moan about global media interest and all the intrustion that brings when you have made your career from the very same machine. Especially when in the next sentence on the GMTV sofa you are plugging your new TV programme about life after the ‘I’m a Celebrity’ jungle.

If you want to play in the media jungle then you have to swing with the apes and prowl with the tigers that lurk there -  and no-one does it better than you. You’ve made millions at it. Don’t mistake the jungle for a zoo and think you can bite the hand that feeds you.

Top Tips ?

• Keep smiling
• keep telling us that you are happy, as you did on GMTV this morning
• be positive

No one likes a whiner on TV.  Viewers and listeners are beginning to switch off when someone in the firing line starts knocking the media, particularly the Press. It’s become such a ‘poor me’ mantra it’s now losing its power with an audience, especially if you’ve actively chosen to live your life in the limelight, or you are a big enough organisation to know better. We want spokespeople in a crisis  to look in control, not cast blame around on everyone else. [ Check out our Crisis courses for more details]