Press Conference: An Effective Tool of Crisis Management

No matter how big or small your company is, you always want to stay away from bad publicity and the situation of crisis. Nobody wants a bad mouth about their own company and nobody wants to die out because of some rumors. The crisis is often referred to the situation where the company is harmed to such an extent that the company can dissolve. In such a situation, the company has to take quick decision to contain the situation and try to survive in the market. Delhi being the capital of India often falls into the situation where the companies need crisis management firms in Delhi to handle the situation.

PR agencies often provide PR services like press conferences which help a great deal in crisis management. A press conference is a situation where the media is called; questions are asked by the media people and answered by the company representative. It is also a situation where the media is called by the company and the company clarifies itself and puts its points in front of the media and makes sure that the message they want to convey reaches the world.

There are various things that the PR agencies are expected to do as a part of their PR services when it comes to crisis management.

1.      Be prompt

The moment the news of any crisis is circulated to the public, the company needs to have a conference and explain the situation from the perspective of the company. It may be that the news circulated is a rumour, or maybe the public has absorbed the news in a wrong way. If you are not prompt, the rumours increase as both media and public start making up their own stories. Even your competitors can take advantage of this situation.

2.      Be Honest

It is important to know that if the company has made a mistake, it is always advisable for the PR agencies to accept the mistake. People don’t want to listen to one lie over the other, they are more loyal towards honest companies and you still have a chance to win the heart of the public back. It is always better to show the public that you care.

3.      Be a good listener

It is very important to understand and absorb what the public is thinking about you and how bad can the situation be for you. It is always good to be a good listener so that it helps you understand the problem from the public perspective and give leads to a better problem-solving method. It also ensures corrects answer to the questions asked.

The crisis management firms in Delhi have ideas, practice, and experience in PR services. Delhi, being the political capital of India often falls into such situation and they know exactly what to do and how to contain the situation as much as they can. Of course, it is often not the fault of the company but some conspiracy by the competitors which leads to such a situation and it is the duty of the PR agencies to realize such threats and prevent it from happening.

4 PR Mistakes that Startups Must Avoid

A ton of great entrepreneurs come up with some amazing and innovative business ideas, but there are only a few who are able to succeed in this highly competitive market. It is not only the idea that brings success in the market, but it is also the play of marketing strategies that you are adopting to succeed in the market. And, with public relations (PR) being one of the most essential marketing strategies, Startups need to make sure that they are wisely and surely using it. Here are some major misconceptions startups have when considering PR.  

The “We don’t need PR” state of mind

We know when you are planning to start a business of your own; you have a million things to do on your own. But, ignoring the specialized PR facilities will surely increase your work burden with media not accepting your invites as they don’t know you. To make the media professionals aware of your plan and to make sure they are there at your launch and later doing stories about the same, it’s necessary for you as a startup to hire the best possible PR agency in Delhi and avail their wide range of services. But make it clear in your mind, great and effective media coverage of launch can be guaranteed when you have one of the PR companies in Delhi assisting you a year to six months prior.

 Ignoring the value of “regular PR efforts”

Startups usually have the misconception of thinking PR as a simple and quite easy work practice. But, they are not aware of the sweat and pain that goes into getting even single media coverage by a PR companies in Delhi. For the PR efforts to be more effective and benefitting the startups need to engage more with the PR professionals in strategizing plans to approach and convince media about their story’s strength. Entrepreneurs coming up with their businesses anytime soon or are planning to expand their business need further to understand that PR is not a one time- effort but instead is a practice that requires consistency and nurturing from time to time.

Thinking of themselves as the best storytellers

Yes, it’s true that nobody better than the company people knows their products best, but, this doesn’t mean they will also be the best ones to present the story of their products to the media. Startups need to understand that media doesn’t pick any random story but is interested in stories that hold the capacity to make an impact and the PR professionals working in the PR companies in Delhi are expert in doing this job.  

Expecting results immediately and instantly

Building a brand and creating awareness in a customer’s mind is not a thing that will happen overnight. With a huge number of PR campaigns happening in the city, PR cosultants in Delhi expect to start seeing media placements at approximately three months into the campaign. Whether using the traditional PR tools or the Digital PR ones, as the PR campaign progresses the number of PR placements is sure to rise exponentially. As long as the campaign continues, the number of PR placements will increase exponentially. So, instead of expecting instant coverage’s in media, it would be better if you guide them with more product and company insight so that they are able to draft some impactful stories better.

Benefits of PR in the Education Sector

Be it the profitable ones or the non-profitable ones, the new ones or the well-established ones, a good public relations (PR) exposure is all a company in any field of expertise needs to create its credibility in the long run. The good PR strategies adopted by an organisation ensures successful implementation of policies and growth in the overall organisation.  This is the reason why the educational sector of the city is referring the big PR companies in Delhi for their extremely benefitting strategies and tactics.

Education is a wide sector in India with an enormous crowd of schools, colleges, universities, etc. With such severe competition, PR companies in Delhi have a crucial role to play in enhancing the image of these educational institutions and in increasing their awareness amongst the target audience.

In the present scenario, all educational organisations require public relations tactics be it the ones done with digital PR tools or with traditional PR tools, for their successful functioning, brand recognition, and promotion. With higher and specialised education becoming a trend nowadays, it’s the duty of the educational institutions to inform aspiring students about these courses. This is when PR firms in Delhi enter the arena to perform this extensively challenging job with ease and expertise. With the help of expert professionals working in PR firms in Delhi, educational institutes are able to increase their visibility.

People usually trust the PR consultants in Delhi more than any reputed advertising agency of the city as they are very well aware of the fact that the latter has been paid to glorify a client. But, on the other hand, the job of PR professionals working in PR agency in Delhi is to highlight the positives of their client, like the background of the institute, courses offered, achievements of its students and faculty, etc., without glorifying it much and presenting it in its genuine form only.

Organising events is one of the ways PR is done for any organisation, mainly the educational institutions as they offer scope for instant feedback and two-way communication as well. The various events that hold the potential to bring in publicity for an institute can be cultural events, donation drives, meetings, launches, sports events, etc. It is the duty of the assigned PR agency in Delhi to plan and execute the event and to disseminate the press release of the same to various media houses for coverage.

Nowadays, PR professionals are mainly digital PR tools for communication and circulation of positive information and policies about the institution. Among all the digital PR tools it is the social media that is mostly used to share various updates and activities related to the institution. Blogs, essays, SEO friendly articles, etc. are also used to garner in the good public image for the institution on various online platforms. 

Components of a Successful Public Relations Strategy

Public relations strategy involve the way one communicates inside and outside their organization, events they plan, way in which they need to involve in the community and also the way in which the crisis needs to be managed.  On an overall scale, we can say that PR strategy adopted by PR firms is mainly concerned with the way and style in which the media are portraying their client or his/her business. To help you better understand what all is included in PR strategy adopted mainly by PR companies in Delhi; we have outlined each piece along with its importance in creating your brand’s image:

        Corporate Communications

How businesses communicate with each other, both internally and externally, create its own voice called corporate communications.  Whether a startup or a seasoned business firm, you need to know that corporate communications strategy is the backbone of the overall public relations strategy adopted by PR professionals working in PR consultants in Delhi. It uses the brand’s voice to express important messages to the audience in a way that they are able to understand.

        Media Relations

Media relations refer to the relationship shared by an organization with the press. In order to be successful, you need to have a great relationship with the correct contact person from the relevant news outlets to ensure that business gets well portrayed in the eyes of the target audience. And, this is when the traditional and digital PR services provided by PR agencies in Delhi come handy in creating a symbiotic relationship between the press and businesses.

        Community Relations

Whether you or your business both are part of a community and it’s the good community relations only which establishes your business’ presence and the perceptions of others in the mind of the target audience. PR firms in Delhi are available in many ways with which your business can get involved in the community.

        Crisis Management

The way you handle a crisis or any other unexpected situation can make or break your business. Having a PR agency in Delhi, all prepped up with crisis management plan in place allows your business to operate as normally as possible even if the toughest crisis lands down on your shoulder.  The PR professionals are very much trained and aware of handling these situations and preserving the brand’s hard earned reputation in the market. 

Public Relations involves many activities and strategies that combine up to build a positive image of the business in the eyes of the target audience. Having a plan in place can keep these efforts organized and create the image you want for your business.

HOW PR BENEFITS THE SMALL BUSINESSES?

Every firm/ organisation or business wants to grow in their respective industries with a customer base larger than the previous year. But being a small player thinking of pitching oneself above the larger competitors with advertising seems completely unrealistic. Still, there’s an option that can bring even the small players into the limelight. Public Relations (PR) is the best cost effective alternatives for those who want to raise their company profile in the industry without flushing much. Even proprietor and small companies should have a PR firm from among the many PR companies in Delhi to ensure growth in their audience reach and financial status.

Activities of PR companies in Delhi vary from getting the coverage in newspapers and magazines through traditional PR tools to writing blogs and replying customer’s queries online with the help of digital PR tools.  So in short at its core, PR is a low-cost promotional activity having the potential of creating great impact.

Here is a list of benefits a PR company can provide to the small business players

·         Raise your profile in the media – By making contacts with the local or trade press and sending them your news, PR Consultants in Delhi will raise your profile as an expert in your field in that particular region. Other than that, editorial coverage always creates more impact than the expensive modes of advertising; people trust third-party endorsements more than something they know a newspaper has been paid to print.

·         Tell your story – By promoting your story on websites, social media platforms and newsletters, digital PR tools used by PR agencies in Delhi allows you to sell yourself in your own words. If there’s something, you think your customers would love to know, PR professionals give you the opportunity to share it unedited.

·         Reach new customers – Packing your website with interesting informational stuff and quotes and creating an impactful presence on social media, PR companies of Delhi make sure that new customers hear about you through their friends and known people that have shared, liked or commented on your content.

·         Increase visibility on Google – By keeping your website up-to-date, sharing your content on social media and by creating powerful Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) articles, PR helps you in rising the Google’s search rankings.

·         Connect with existing customers – This is the time when everyone has the internet in their pocket. Smartphones have provided them instant access to the brands through their websites and social media. PR agencies in Delhi use this as an opportunity to use digital PR tools which in turn help you in staying connected with your customers, get their feedback and encourage repeat business.

Top 4 most common PR Myths busted

One of the most undervalued and underutilised marketing tactics is public relations (PR). Most people don’t even know what exactly PR is. Professionals working in PR companies in Delhi usually have to face the questions like are you a journalist? Do you take interviews of celebrities or is your company a type of event management?”

Even some of the small business owners and startups are unaware about the working of PR due to some of the very common myths prevailing in the industry. In this article, we will debunk the top four most common PR myths and help you better understand the PR companies in Delhi.

Myth #1: PR equals to press releases

The press release is the must have and an important instrument in the PR toolkit — the method that PR agencies in Delhi continue to use to communicate their stories to media. But one thing to keep in mind is that press release can be an effective tool only when used properly.

The inexperienced PR agencies in Delhi mostly send their untargeted press release to every single media outlet that they can think of reaching, without drafting any real strategy or considering the journalist’s specific areas of interest. This way of working has made the press release a much less effective tool for PR professionals.

Instead of doing this spray and pray method go with a more effective way of using a pitch letter to deliver message/story idea to the media. A pitch letter is an email, which outlines the newsworthy story behind the news.

Myth #2: Effective PR can replace the efforts of a sales team

PR is not at all equals to sales. Instead, this marketing function is used to generate brand awareness and credibility of the company. This in turn helps the sales team in approaching the potential vendors as they are already familiar with your company. With PR professionals dedicatedly working on your campaign all the cold leads will turn into warm leads, resulting in a drastic increase in the sales team’s efficacy over time.

Myth #3: Using PR, my company will become famous overnight

Building a brand and creating awareness in a customer’s mind is not a thing that will happen overnight. With a huge number of PR campaigns happening in the city, PR Consultants in Delhi expect to start seeing media placements at approximately three months into the campaign. As long as the campaign continues, the number of PR placements will increase exponentially. So, instead of creating a ruckus for not getting stories in media outlets instantly, wait and help the PR team in better drafting some impactful stories. It is recommended to consider PR a basic necessity for marketing your business and with outreach done on a regular basis, as long as the company is in existence.

Myth #4: PR is easy, so I’ll just do it myself

This is probably one of the biggest myths about PR industry. Many business owners think that they can handle PR themselves in order to save money; after all, it’s all about writing a press release and getting journalists to your door asking for interviews. PR is not just about press releases... or even about media pitching. PR is all about creating a consistent brand, writing well, communicating effectively, acting strategically, and creating relationships with media.

Why it’s necessary to hire a PR firm?

Most of the potential clients coming into the offices of the Public Relations (PR) companies in Delhi tend to act as their own publicist after making some copious notes from information in the form of articles and blogs available online. With due respect, all these clients need to understand that they can’t represent themselves and even if they do they will fail badly as a publicist. Professionals and experts working in the PR companies in Delhi know exactly what is going to be picked and what not. For a story to make an impact either with traditional PR or with digital PR, it needs to have- a great story, insight about ongoing trends and great taste knowledge about the target audience. Here are the five reasons one can’t do their PR on their own:

Rejection- Clients don’t really know a number of rejections that come before getting a story pitched in a single publication. With one single person doing the job of publicising it, the rejections can lead to huge numbers.  But with some people pitching numerous media persons and publications, the chances of getting media visibility are very high. You might take the rejections personally, but a good PR firm instead of doing so opts to mend and reframe the action-plan to get the best possible media outlet to place the story.

Writing Skills- A successful PR doesn’t just require the skills to publicise the events but also requires a good hand at writing etiquettes. Be it the online media or the traditional one journalist respect the content that is short, concise, to-the-point with well-phrased sentences and relevant pitches. No one in the lifestyle publications will pick the story if it is written in way too formal or serious form.

Social Media Fails- There might be certain theories claiming that simple word of mouth can easily turn a small idea into a phenomenon on social media. But unfortunately, it’s not true at all. Only good PR professionals working in the best PR Cosultants in Delhi can help you in drafting an impactful social media content that would instantly become a rage on these outlets. Each day billions of messages are flushed on these social media outlets and without the help of a good PR firm one won’t be able to judge which platform is best suited for their campaign.

Contacts- Contacts with media persons, bloggers, editors, producers and other influencers in the media industry are worth their weight in gold. Doing a number of interviews, presenting hundreds of statistics and articles will not get media coverage’s because most journalists go with the coverage’s that come from their contacts. That’s why PR firm is hired so that using their contacts you can get the necessary media coverage. 

Getting the most out of PR internships

It’s that time of the year when students whether pass outs or still in their graduation period are running here and there looking for an internship in the best sort PR companies in Delhi. People tell them to get an internship for the experience but what they don’t tell is how to convert these internship opportunities as a chance of grabbing a good paying job in one of the top PR companies in Delhi. Here are a few steps that will help you in making the most out of your PR internships:

• Try to be available as much as you can

Interns with the right amount of enthusiasm and efficiency in their attitude are the ones who will be considered more eligible than the ones with overconfident or with under confident attitude. PR professionals work in a team, and while working at times, you need to volunteer for other tasks too with a smile because all this will get you the attention of the seniors which will eventually lead to seniors delegating more tasks to you giving you an opportunity to demonstrate your creative potential. Completing the tasks in a hurry will lead you nowhere but completing them with efficiency will surely guarantee your presence for the next job.

• Familiarize with the organization and staff properly

All know how tough it is to enter the industry, so better not be overexcited and instead try conversing with the other employees. But before conversing make sure you know the workings and different personalities with their level of works in the company. Most employees in PR consultants in Delhi appreciate feedbacks and suggestions but make sure to do so in a rather polite way. Different personalities have different approaches to follow so if once got rejected don’t insist for your suggestion again and again as it may irritate the seniors. PR involves long hours and high pressure of work, so it’s better to familiarize with the team thus making work more fun.

• Don’t let your focus deter

One of the key requirements for a good employee is that he/she is focused on their work and completes the work as desired by the team. Your focus on work is reflected in the questions you ask and suggestions you give so make sure to do relevant talks only. If your team has allocated you a fairly important task, then this indicates you have surely done something worth appreciating. So make sure you continue with the achievement regime because this is the stage where each step is being crucially monitored.

• Wear the positive look always

At times there are times during your internship when you might not be doing the most glamorous job, and in the beginning, it might be difficult without knowing anyone in the workplace. The key here is to stay positive and be a person who has a smile and not a grin all the time on his/her face. Keep it clear in mind your happy and optimistic approach is what will work wonders when the time comes for your seniors to assess your suitability for the long run.

3 Key trends that will affect the World of Public Relations

With technological advancement and digitisation at its pace, the world of many industries including that of Public Relations (PR) is changing rapidly. With this rapid pace of changes taking place here are the 3 main trends that will have an impact on PR professionals, especially those working in PR companies in Delhi:

 1. Convergence

There are changes happening all around the PR firms in Delhi. While traditional below the line agencies are providing the social media and digital services, creative agencies, on the other hand, have hired digital experts, creative folks and sponsorship strategists. In totality, PR companies in Delhi are indulging deeper into brand strategy as well as in offering new services such as creative, design; video and digital PR. Convergence of a variety of services is also a threat to PR firms. Because the more the company expands its service offerings, especially in technology, more are the chances of clients and potential clients moving in a conflicting space. PR consultants in Delhi need to handle this as the accountancy and legal practices have.

2. Video- the new star element in storytelling

PR professionals are the storytellers. They tell the target audience stories about their clients through selected media. However, as the way of how people consume media and stories have changed so has changed the pattern of storytelling in PR industry. Many recent reports and studies suggest that people watch at least one video every day and by 2020, 75% of mobile traffic will be video driven only. This leads to the fact that live videos are the trending topics racking up billions of views on Facebook, Instagram and other platforms. With such a high inclination towards video, it is obvious for the PR firms in Delhi to start using video and other visual tools- such as infographics, images and slideshows in their PR campaign.

3. Reputation is the key concern

Reputation management will gain its prominence as a PR service offered by PR companies in Delhi. The service has already been there, but in such a volatile and negative world, its importance is ever increasing. From media coverage to political changes to cyber-attacks to online reviews, businesses, governments, organisations and individuals will rely on PR professionals to build, protect and enhance their reputations. PR firms need to enhance and improve their skillset to provide deeper and more accurate reputation auditing, management and recovery services, in a coherent and sellable way.

What journalists desire from PR professionals?

Having good media relations is the essential quality looked out in every PR professionals serving to the PR cosultants in Delhi. And, to build the best and the most successful relations among media It’s not a prestigious background but a proper understanding of the balance concept that is required. The concept of balancing the traditional skills of doing PR with digital PR skills will only guarantee great relations with journalists in the overall media kingdom. In terms of PR climate in PR companies in Delhi, things certainly have changed from typewriters to Twitter over the years but despite the changes the experts suggest that the primary methods for interactions with media persons are the ones that still garner success. Here are some points highlighting what exactly the journalists’ desire from PR professionals:

Traditional needs to go hand in hand with digital PR

Just like the fact that a healthy body needs a well-balanced diet with a proper mix of fruits and vegetables, a PR professional working in one of the PR companies in Delhi, striking an exact balance between digital and real life connections is exactly the same. Journalists receive almost a thousand mails in a day with most of them getting ignored and sending same mail again and again will do nothing but will ruin your connection with the journalist as he will completely ignore you by transferring your mail in the spam list. Instead of doing this if you drop down a mail and also make a phone call it will translate into getting a realm of good results as this will generate a personal touch in the minds of media professionals. But you can’t even ignore online platforms and social media at all. The more you are aware of the happenings on the social media portal, the more will you be able to elevate your relations with the media personnel. 

How journalists categorise sources

According to the latest survey by a reputed organization, when looking for sources for a story, journalists usually prefer online sources more than the traditional ones. Journalists prefer online press kits (containing photos, digital portfolio of information and other resources) first rather than going with the emails containing press release. It’s not that PR pitches are a thing of past they are still in trend as they generate creative story ideas in journalist’s mind. To supercharge your PR pitches it’s essential to inculcate them with the sensational, breaking or seasonal news. Another good way of highlighting PR pitches is to make them short and furnish them with a link to the online press kit.

Social media is a mirror of client’s reach and credibility

Social media pages and profiles are of prime importance when interacting with the journalist regarding a client. If you are touting your client as an international expert with 100 Facebook fans and 200 Twitter followers only, then the journalists surely would term your PR pitch as a fraud. So make sure to get your clients enough visibility on their social media pages. No matter how many research a client has done or how many books they have written, it is the number of fans or followers that scream your expertise in any language.

How to secure a good internship in PR industry

Every year, thousands of media and communication students along with their CVs are all prepped up to find the best possible internship in the best Public Relation (PR) firm from a huge lot of PR companies in Delhi. This is perhaps the most important time in everybody’s career with every single move being crucially judged and scrutinised. However, this can be a positive thing for your budding career as hard work done during this initial period and can land you with great employment opportunities. Here are some tips that will help you secure an internship in the best possible PR agency in Delhi:

1. Remove the clutter from your CV

Whether you are a recent school or university pass out or seeking a change in career path, one thing to be clear with is the fact that the CV is a concise view of your educational and work experience till date. Even if it might not contain anything directly relating to PR the key trick here is to highlight specific achievements and identify how these skills can relate to the PR practice. Don’t make it too long instead keep it punchy and concise. PR involves pitching client’s ideas to journalists, and your CV gives you the first opportunity to pitch yourself to employers.

2. Remove unnecessary things from your social media profile

According to many recent research and studies, people spend most of their time in updating and surfing on their social media accounts. Hence, your social media profile is a mirror image of the person who you are. No matter how liberal and fun-loving your employer might look like, but they won’t accept a person is posting shameful photos across the Internet. So beware, if you have something like that in your social media profiles, remove it at the earliest because social networking sites are one of the first places employers will look after they have seen your CV.

3. Try to familiarise with the workings of the agency

When applying for an internship, the company you choose from the many PR companies in Delhi always has the opportunity to quiz you on their client base, competitors, campaigns among other related questions. So it’s best to be prepared beforehand.  Most company websites provide information about their workings even if not it’s your responsibility to dig up a little. Adequate preparation will not only calm your nerves for the interview but will also show your enthusiasm and passion for working with them.

4. Don’t forget to do the follow-ups

In a day PR Consultants in Delhi get thousands of internship applications and responding each one of them is simply not possible. Here, you need to take charge remind them about your application and try to familiarise with them. While doing so, make sure to keep your tone positive and friendly. This quality of being proactive and following up again translates to enthusiasm in you.

5. Try to improve your interview skills

Interview practice is crucial before facing the actual interview round. Have a friend or family member prepare you with the competency questions well in advance. This will help you in boosting your confidence and giving right answers. The trick is to be clear, concise and calm and these can only be achieved with adequate preparation.

Public Relations in Achieving the Goals of IT Startups

Startups that have a great product their customers love can benefit from Public Relations (PR) in more ways than one. Aside from the obvious benefit of publicity, entrepreneurs gain credibility. For a startup that hasn’t settled on a product customer’s love, press coverage can be a huge mistake.

The act of public relations has been thought of as a selfish one, where a publicist aims to get without giving in a vain attempt to secure media coverage for a client, merely building a relationship in exchange for a sought-after positive public portrayal of the client’s company.

PR professionals need to engage themselves and their work in a more refreshing manner. Instead of waiting to engage individuals at the exact moment you need something from them, try using a more proactive approach: start building relationships early on. There is incredible value in viewing the daily public relations of your startup as a two-way street.

To achieve the goals of a start up, PR agencies needs smart techniques. The focus of your PR plan of attack should be on making friends, not contacts. Consider the impression given when attempting to make dozens of contacts based on pitch emails or cold calls. Go ahead, state your case. Your efforts are just like everyone else’s: they lack authenticity. And they more than likely suggest that you’re really reaching to get coverage.  If you aren’t giving the impression that you would like to invest in a relationship, writers will not willingly invest in you or your startup. Just as you must invest in relationships with your customers instead of mindlessly pushing promotional social media content, you must invest in building genuine relationships with writers.

What doesn’t work for a start-up is sending cookie cutter emails to writers who are probably going to get annoyed. This happens a lot in the PR consultants in Delhi. Not surprisingly, word travels fast in the small world of tech journalism. The last thing you want to do is develop that reputation. For a startup founder, what works best is to concentrate on pitching to fewer writers in a more strategic, relationship-focused way.

By working hard to invest in others who, ultimately, will become vital to your company’s success, you are making real friends in strategic places (from whom you can ask favors). To build relationships, start small. You can begin by simply engaging via social media. Reply or retweet a tweet. Comment on one of their recent articles, always be brief, be genuine and to be the listener. Also never pressurize a writer. Remember that a ‘No’ is just ‘No’ sometimes. (We hope all the PR agencies, esp. PR agencies in Delhi, are listening?!)

Concentrating on the long-term goals of your startup is crucial. At the end of the day, we’re all just humans moving through life; and some of us are crawling, some are shuffling. In the startup world, we’re all hustling. Focus your energy on building mutually beneficial human relationships, rather than one-sided business relationships; your PR efforts will start to pick up the pace.

Investing in friendships with writers will bring you media coverage on major tech blogs more quickly and effectively than cold calls. It’s time to change the perspective of PR and put the “human” back into our relations.

Role of PR in Crisis Management

Crisis takes place every now and then. It occurs even in the most idyllic settings. The only way to deal effectively with the crisis is to be prepared. Crisis management plan is necessary because of news and information, travelling faster than ever. Companies must be able to answer questions and allegations about looming crisis quickly. As far as we know, most of the PR Firms in Delhi and rest of the country do pretty well with dealing with an unwanted/unexpected crisis (except for maybe a glitch here and there).

However there are times when crisis strikes, most companies are unprepared and poorly handle the situation. Organizations might try stonewalling the situation, toughing it out or pretending the crisis will pass, but they only make the situation worse. Organizations who waste valuable time at the beginning of a crisis can expect to see a loss in revenue and plummeting stock prices. It is useless to conceal the truth from the public because eventually, someone will blow the whistle.

Companies and organizations often make the mistake of waiting for a public relations crisis to happen and then responding to it. No matter how much damage control a company does, it’s hard to overcome an embarrassing situation. A better approach is what many of us in the PR industry call “crisis prevention.”

Nowadays many companies hire professional hackers to uncover potential security breaches of their networks and servers. Why not do the same for public relations? Protecting a company’s image is just as vital as protecting its physical plant. Most of the PR agencies in Delhi are well equipped regarding this matter.  But it’s not always easy to see one’s own faults. That’s why your company should hire an outside consultant to “hack into” your company’s image and assess where potential PR problems may arise. Correct the problems you can and, if something can’t be fixed, have a good reason why things are the way they are. Don’t be afraid to admit that your company isn’t perfect and needs to improve things. The public likely will respect your candour.

There have been countless public relations crises in the past, and there are five steps that should be executed to manage a crisis properly. First, the corporation in crisis should be prompt, addressing the public right after finding itself in the crisis. Second, the corporation in question should maintain honesty because the public is more willing to forgive an honest mistake than a calculated lie. Third, it is important to be informative because the media, as well as the public, will create their own rumors if no information is given to them by the corporation in crisis. Rumors can cause significantly more damage to the corporation than the truth. Next, it is important to be concerned and show the public you care because people will be more forgiving if it is clear that the corporation cares about the victims of the crisis. Finally, maintain two-way relationships. This is important because the corporation can learn a lot about the status of public opinion by listening. These five steps are necessary to manage any crisis public relations situation. However, we must not forget that each crisis is unique and requires a tailored response. Communicating with the public openly and honestly helps to deal with as little damage as possible.

If you like to know more, there are way too many startup PR that had taken place in the past such at the Diet Pepsi case and the Tylenol case. Some are successful PR crisis situations whereas others are poor examples of crisis management, the Ford case and the Firestone case are some of the most quoted examples in this context.

No matter how much planning goes into preventing crises, there are always crisis situations that can not be planned for.Crisis public relations is changing. With new media, such as MySpace and Facebook, crisis situations have occurred on the web. While products and services expand to new media, there are new ways for crises to emerge. At the same time, new media can be used to communicate with the public. Corporations can now communicate with customers across the world using a number of different media such as e-mail, websites, podcasts, internet video, and more.

While communication with the public is easier and cheaper than in the past, the original 5 steps to properly manage a crisis, as well as the six types of responses, continue to be the foundation of any crisis public relations plan.