Public Relations
parkworld-online.com
The positioning stage
At this point, you may be experiencing a crisis situation. What to say, what not to say and how you say it are all very important issues. Ensure you are heard through carefully crafted message points: 1) Develop three to five message points about your situation – do NOT create a dozen. Make these points concisely so they can be relayed in roughly 15 broadcast seconds or in appropriate length in social media (Twitter’s 140 character limit is a good guide). Avoid industry jargon, abbreviations or overly technical explanations. 2) Define, don’t defend! Understand that the news people, or your social media audiences, are seeking information to share – with the public or via internet channels. You must be very focused on stating the situation using only the facts, not speculation or what “might” be. 3) You needn’t tell all you know – but you must tell the truth!
The presentation stage
The art of presentation is what public relations is about. The public will form judgements about your park or business based on the abilities and personalities of your spokespeople, so observe these pointers: 1) Be calm and know your weaknesses because when people get nervous, strange habits surface! Talking fast, playing with hair or change in pocket, flipping the head, twitching a foot, glancing about, saying “um” or “you know”, even gulping, etc… 2) Dress professionally. Take off the sunglasses and the baseball cap. 3) Remain polite and in control at all times. If the reporter asks for more information, you don’t have to answer fully at the time. Don't worry about saying “I don’t know that answer but I will get back
to you” – and get back to them! You certainly should clarify points or any question of confusion – but It is very touchy, often taboo, to ask review the story.
4) Do not be jarred by reference to past incidents, as often “skeletons” do come up. Since you are prepared, you should already have positioning on these issues. 5) Remember that everything is recordable, reportable and trackable – do not go “off the record.” If the microphone is on you, or nearby, assume it is hot and do not say anything you wouldn’t want repeated. In conclusion, your park’s management of an incident should be studied as a complete cycle that includes many layers of communication. Today, message delivery is expected to be near- instantaneous in an amazingly responsive, urgent world, driven by many different voices from reporters of every medium to bloggers, tweeters and Facebook users. Your job is to ensure the right information is distributed to the right channels in a professional and responsive way. Now…get to work!
For the last two decades, Lisa Rau has served as director of publicity and public relations for Herschend Family Entertainment and Silver Dollar City Attractions. With a background in investigative television news reporting, she has served on both sides of the media. Lisa has also taught seminars for various state agencies, businesses, chambers of commerce and industry bodies including the World Waterpark Association and IAAPA.
lrau@silverdollarcity.com
MARCH 2014
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