Marketing Your Way Through a Negative Situation

Pandemic Planning
Brian Wingfield, 04.26.09, 08:00 PM EDT
The U.S. government still seems ill-prepared for a massive flu outbreak.
U.S. officials have now declared a public health emergency as 20 cases of swine flu have been confirmed ... for more of this story, http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/26/swine-flu-cdc-hhs-obama-business-washington-flu.html?partner=daily_newsletter

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How do you communicate with your market during potentially difficult, embarassing or negative times? How does a negative become a positive? Well...it ain't easy, and your integrity will either shine or your name will be mud. It's not impossible, but it does require some serious thinking, good timing and a consistent message. Here's the BizBuzzz.

You've got to respond quickly to aleviate any of the concerns that rise to the top of a bad situation before anything else happens. What this means is that you have to say SOMEthing, but you've got to be sure that your something shows your understanding, compassion and willingness to take action towards a solution or resolution.


We all want the truth. Some of the worst marketing and communications mistakes have come from businesses who try to hide or cover over a mistake, a product malfunction or a deathly workplace crisis. Tell the truth, acknowledge an error, give "the facts" of any accident or crisis that you are legally able to share--give your market some bit of information, so that they don't have to hunt down the information from other sources (who may not get it right).


Ration information strategically by scheduling some (any) bit of news every so many hours or minutes, depending on the situation. Even no news is news--it clears the air and sets the schedule for your market, letting them know that you will keep them informed at regular intervals.


NEVER, ever say "no comment", as my friends at Positive Management Leadership, Inc. instruct all of their PML Experience® participants. You can always say that you are concerned, that you are meeting shortly to gather all the pieces, that you are shocked too, that you will have the facts to share just as soon as you come out of the meeting that your'e headed to, that you send your personal thanks to the first responders who kept the situation from escalating....you get the picture, right?


Talk to the media!!!!!!!!!!!!! They live by the stories that they air, publish or print. Get them your news a.s.a.p. Give them ANY little thing that you can share and schedule a time to speak to them and give them more, more, more. And, by-the-way, while we're talking about the media, call them before you need them. Take an editor, a reporter, a photographer to lunch. Here's an idea, call them after their deadline and meet up for a cup of coffee. Ask them about their work, about their day, about their family and hobbies. (Light bulb!) It's easier to catch up with and talk with someone from the local paper or T.V. station, if you already know them.


Send out an e-mail and call your key clients. These actions can be executed at any time during the initial communications, but they are most effective when done right away.

So, just as soon as you can, send a quick informational e-mail to your customer base. Tell them that something's up and give them the facts. Tell them that they are important to you, tell them that you appreciate their support over the years and tell them that you wanted them to know first. And don't forget to ask for their patience and for their continued support during this difficult time.


Your key clients should already know that they are very important to you and to your business (if you've been doing your marketing homework and communicating that message to them). Identify who these people are and place an "urgent" call to them. This is you dialing their office or cell phone number; not your assistant or receptionist or the intern you hired last week. This is an important situation, an important client and an important piece of news.


We are constantly faced with great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems. Some wise person somewhere said something like this; it's the essence of what I am trying to share with you. It may not be good math, it may be considered creative accounting, but it is good marketing. I hope you never have to execute a marketing strategy of this kind, but build it in to your overall marketing plan and be prepared.

• Positive Management Leadership, Inc., for leadership and crisis training


• For one of many stories about the swine flu, Forbes.com


• Detroit: Brace For Impact, another difficult situation of the times.


• Coca-Cola's Belgian Marketing Fiasco, a lesson that we all should learn well


• Dealing With a Product Crisis, from icmrindia.com
• Consider training from The Black Sheep, Jeffrey Black. He can help you and your crew "stand out from the herd".