How do you write a press release for a crisis or a negative situation?

Use your holding statement! A holding statement is a simple statement each company should have on file that acknowledges there is a problem, and that you're working hard to identify all the details and players and will have more information shortly. This allows for two things -- to respond immediately while also giving yourself space to craft an appropriate PR message that (hopefully) has a positive effect. Too often, company leaders get freaked out in a crisis situation, knee-jerk reply, skip the holding statement and then find themselves in MORE hot water because they didn't think through their response and just jumped in out of emotion/fear etc. This is your sign to get a holding statement on file TODAY.

We won't often know all of the details of the problem at first, and we have the tendency to not want to speak until we know everything. Although it's important to only release verified facts, we should have holding statements that signal our commitment to our values and what we're doing until we know more. As a principle, we should NEVER say "no comment" and instead, prepare holding statements for the most likely crises our organization may face.

Above all, be honest. Honest about the problem, honest about why it happened and honest about how you will solve it. And if you don't know the answer to any question don't make it up. Words are forever and they can always come back to you.

Your media team should be working one-on-one with reporters on answering questions and getting your information out there. One-on-one contact is key to diffusing an early media inquiry onslaught. It aids in transparency and allows you to better control how your information is getting distributed. This is the time to leverage the relationships your team has forged.

In my experience, proactive engagement through press releases and media relations helps control your own side of the narrative. Simple facts, a timeline/summary of the situation (even if it’s been said before) help to make sure busy journalists get it right without referring to old stories which may be incorrect.

If there has been a misstep, don’t be afraid to apologize. People would rather see a genuine human apology than a fluffy statement making excuses or empty promises. We all make mistakes — what matters is how we take accountability, right the wrongs, and do better next time.

Don’t be afraid to limit your release to what you know now and update with an additional release(s) when appropriate. I have found key stakeholders and media prefer accurate and honest answers. Do not create unnecessary doubt about your credibility or that of the organization you represent. Guessing gets you in trouble. In a world where news travels at the speed of technology, adding new details is not tough to do.

In a crisis statement, it is essential to identify and establish key messages that convey the main points of information you want your audience to hear, understand, and remember. These key messages serve to prevent confusion, combat the spread of misinformation, and allow organizations to maintain control over the narrative. Also, avoid making defensive remarks as they can be highly detrimental to your organization's credibility during a crisis. Such remarks give the impression that the business is unwilling to take responsibility for the crisis or its consequences. Defensive remarks can also trigger negative reactions from the media and the public, leading to increased scrutiny and criticism.

The quicker you can acknowledge the situation, by sharing a statement, the better. It helps you to appear to be in control of the issue, become the source of information and dampen down speculation.

To handle a crisis/negative situation with a press release, be transparent, informative, and responsible. Start by acknowledging the issue and showing empathy in the opening. Give clear and factual details about the situation, being honest and open. Explain the actions being taken to fix the issue or reduce its impact, showing a resolve to solve the matter. If needed, apologize or assure the affected parties, stressing the organization’s commitment to accountability and improvement. Also, provide contact information for media inquiries and promise regular updates as the situation progresses. By being transparent, accountable, and proactive, the press release can effectively manage and mitigate the impact of a crisis or negative situation.

Your focus ALWAYS should be on your actions and on the people affected. Note that you will likely have to communicate well before you have any solutions - or even have fully identified the problem.

The moment a crisis situation hits, think about putting up a specific webpage on your website devoted to the event/incident. It should be up within 24 hours with all your information on the crisis, statements, facts (good & bad). It's a proactive way to reinforce transparency and it's an easy way to direct media to updates.

A positive way of showing that you have managed the crisis well is to mention that your employees have all been informed or consulted about the situation. It shows that the impact on the employees has been acknowledged and dealt with. It alsl demonstrates a genuine commitment towards the staff. Often, employees are being informed about the stressful situation last - frequently by the media. Informing them first is one of the best practices to be adopted. Ultimately, this provides a good image to the company concerned.

We always advise our clients to demonstrate three things: Care - they are concerned about what has happened Action - they are doing something about it Perspective - put it into context We also advise that the best way to protect their reputation is to do the right thing and put people before property.

Never remain hidden or wait until the last minute to discuss the situation. It is critical to be transparent with the content, even if the situation damages the company. But a press release also has its limits. An additional step that can be helpful is to offer a company’s expert - very well prepared - a call with a select few top tiers reporters whom you know well. This can provide additional quotes to the reporters and give more perspective to explain the situation.

In crisis situations, the audience has a right to know the truth and the steps being taken to mitigate the crisis for the good of all concerned. Doing so is not simple, but a straightforward approach is best. As I learned during 9-11 as the Comm’s Director for the American Red Cross. Tact, patience, and clarity win the day. Tell your side of the story but lead people to the point of knowing you are solving the problem.

Your best information resource is your website Set up a series of "dark" pages which provide factual background information on your organization, corporate values and people. Activate the pages as necessary to provide context remembering that increased transparency is critical in any crisis.

Never use the term "press" release externally - or just extinguish it from your vocabulary. It's a news release. Press is an archaic term for the modern and ever evolving media. Once you think of the media as a "channel" to your audience and not the audience itself, you'll strategically plan your statements and releases to go "through" the media to your audience instead of targeting the media.

Quotes, yes. Testimonials, definitely NOT. In a crisis, testimonials are rightfully interpreted as self-serving and ring hollow. Stick to the facts and signalling empathy with those affected.

Begin by discarding the word "press". This tool is properly referred to as a "News Release". Given that all audiences and all media (even radio news is online today) value explanatory images, consider what images you can share and show. Focus images on positives - your products/services and their benefits, emergency responders at work, prescribed health & safety practices/equipment, buildings under reconstruction, etc. Avoid images of wounded/dead people, head shots, grip & grins, "happy" gatherings, fire/explosion/accident sites, damaged equipment, complex charts/wordy slides, product lists with complex chemical names*, etc. *Dihydrogen monoxide sounds a lot scarier than water even though both are H20!

Distribute to the same list of key media contacts that you use to distribute positive news. Chances are, the messaging developed to communicate your news will be crafted very carefully with input from legal and other stakeholders, leaving little room for a spokesperson/executive to add greater context in an interview -- a key factor to keep in mind in all of your follow-up activity with media contacts.

Be prepared for the news release's deployment by media relations staff. After its deployment, be ready to: 1. Link to the message on social channels. Do everything possible to own the message on Twitter, Reddit, etc. Proactivity on social channels can go a long way to shortening the noise cycle. Don't be caught having to react, or expend needed energy and time stressing on every meme and comment. 2. Start working on the next update. After you've given the high-level "what's happened, what we're doing about it" release, structure messaging so stakeholders know when you will next update them about the crisis at hand. And keep to that schedule. A crisis can actually build trust with stakeholders if thoughtfully and proactively communicated.

In my experience it’s always been helpful to take a few minutes before hitting send. During a crisis the pressure is on to get a message out quickly. Accuracy, transparency, and a full vetting of the message is more important than getting it out quickly. Setting an internal deadline helps with getting approvals. I’d rather take an extra five minutes to perfect the message than go out too soon and have to retract or revise a statement.

Take the opportunity to remind the audience of the core messages you want them to take away from this content. This may range from the challenges of the situation, to the unequaled skill and abilities of those responding to the situation. Whatever those core messages are, make sure they are included in all your communications, especially in your press release.

Identifying the problem, the facts and the impact are important. It is also important to put the call for action near the beginning.

Own the story. Once the story breaks, be the first to respond. Have a plan in place to limit the number of approvals required for crisis communications - and then get the story out immediately - even if incomplete. In these incomplete releases, put a time in when you will release more information and then hold to it.

Watch for the story of the super yacht the Oceandiva's attempt to launch on the Thames. This monster from the seas, almost the length of a football pitch, and three decks high, has the capacity to ferry 1500 party goers up and down the river with faux concern for other river users, residents, world famous cultural and historic institutions which will be blotted out as it passes by. The story is out there, next comes the strategy. Wrong Boat, Wrong City.

In a crisis, once you have decided on a message, message discipline is critically important. Focus on getting your story out. Take questions as you can and answer them as directly and forthrightly as possible, but also always steer the conversation back to the one or two main points that your organization wants to make. You can't control what news outlets publish, but you can give them every possible opportunity to know and understand what's important for you to communicate.