Crisis Communications Services
Don't let the word "communications" throw you off. Crisis communications is about so much more than what to say in times of disruption. It's about responding with a strategy focus on integrity and authenticity, while protecting the organization's reputation and bottom line. From immediate responses, to managing an ongoing crisis, to rebuilding trust for the long haul, FM Civic is your strategic partner in the fox hole for it all.​
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Pre-crisis planning
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Crisis response project management
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Message development
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Internal and external communications
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Media training and engagement
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Community outreach and engagement strategies
Attorneys are the first call in a crisis, but clients often need more than legal advice. Join FM Civic for this informative luncheon seminar on leveraging crisis comms strategies to provide the best outcomes for clients. Leave with a clear checklist and the confidence to support your clients no matter the reputational challenge they face.
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CRISIS COMMS FOR LEGAL PROS
1.5 hours of CLE credit from the Oregon State Bar Association.
12-1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
The Haven, in Bend
$20, includes lunch
Diffusing the media bomb:
A case study
One of FM Civic’s clients gave a ring. The inevitable had happened. A reporter eager to make a name for themself was teeing up a hard-hitting story with a deadline of tomorrow night at 5 p.m.
The truth was, an honest mistake had been made and the storm clouds of legal action were brewing on the horizon. The issue had all the hallmarks of a brand and reputation disaster, and the details were about to be aired on the most watched news hour in the region.
It’s moments like these that can scramble the most talented and competent comms teams. The client’s team needed crisis response and communications support at all levels—from the leaders in the C Suite to the content creators in the marketing department.
Our team went to work immediately and spent the next three weeks in the trenches working side-by-side with legal counsel, leadership and staff to diffuse the story and rebuild trust with customers who were angry and looking for someone to blame.
First, we applied our decades of media engagement experience to persuade the aggressive news outlet to delay and soften the story. Then, in partnership with legal counsel and executive leaders, we developed a bold customer service action plan to take the sting out of what had occurred.
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As the action plan unfolded, we helped create a slate of internal and customer communications that acknowledged the issue but placed the emphasis on solutions. Finally, we prepped company spokespeople with extensive media training to help them deliver airtight interviews that reassured customers and the community.
By the time the story aired, much of the momentum around the crisis had been neutralized. The news piece came and went in a single evening, with no additional coverage and no legal action.
