SPONSORS OF CRISIS MANAGEMENT FEATURE
“A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS A DANGEROUS THING”
In a world of 24-hour media it is easier than ever for misinformation to make its way through to the public domain, a threat which is further amplified by a lack of internet regulation and the popularity of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
THE WIND REVOLUTION As such, the plight to suppress the wind revolution is becoming ever-more potent, both online and in the press, with planning applications being influenced by those fundamentally opposed to wind power technology.
With nearly half of all on-shore wind turbine applications in England and Wales now being refused at committee, developers are reaching out to PR professionals to develop comprehensive consultation strategies which will help reduce complications associated with planning applications.
CONSULTATION Well-thought out consultation can help to ensure issues are identified early and managed effectively – so that they don’t manifest into crises.
PREPARATION IS KEY Plan for a crisis, identify possible threats and consider appropriate tactics for responding to opposition and reducing the impact on public perception.
Choose relevant communications mechanisms according to your
stakeholders (target audience) and have the resources readily available to disseminate your message should a crisis develop.
COMMUNICATE IMMEDIATELY Be proactive and respond early ensuring positive key messages and benefits reach the public domain. Communication should look to effectively address the ‘crisis’ and be both genuine and open. If a story breaks, journalists will need to gather information and source quotes. If they don’t get it from you, they’ll get it from someone else, potentially a less-informed third party .
Have a clear, positive key message and ‘sound bites’, as well as a senior representative from the company on hand to conduct interviews.
COMMIT TO TRANSPARENCY Whilst it is difficult for every organisation to commit to complete transparency, it is vital that in a crisis developers do not attempt to shield details or to find a scapegoat.
Be upfront and honest.
BE CREATIVE Ensure information is relevant and accessible to stakeholders by using not only tried-and-tested communication tools but also by making use of innovative technologies such as social media. Twitter is a phenomenal real-time communication tool and a great way of keeping people informed in a crisis situation.
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk 91
Cyra Parkes
EMPATHISE Express genuine empathy. By recognising and acknowledging the crisis, developers are more likely to gain the trust and long- term support of the local community.
BETTER STILL… ACT TO AVOID A CRISIS Like many things in life, prevention is often better than cure, and crisis communications is no exception.
A well-thought-out consultation strategy can help avoid a crisis situation. A bespoke consultation programme for a wind energy application can help to identify and manage issues (perceived or real) that the opposition often look to turn into ‘crises’.
This approach not only avoids damage to corporate reputation but also ensures planning applications have a better chance of success at committee, as misinformation and concern is minimised.
Consense
www.consense.co.uk
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