1. PR Made Easy
Anita Syvret

2. When things go pear-shaped
. . . and you’re left holding the fort

3. Facing the press posse

4. The press conference

5. It could happen to you . . .

6. Turning disaster to your advantage

7. Turning disaster to your advantage

8. Turning
disaster
to your
advantage

9. When disaster strikes
• Don’t say ‘no comment’
• Forget trying to keep it quiet
• Nominate a spokesperson
• Tell your staff the score
• Treat all media equally
• Prepare a statement

10. Press statement: damage limitation
• Stick to the facts
• Honesty the best
policy
• Give enough info
• Don’t bury bad news
• Say ‘sorry’
• Keep it simple
• Add quotes
• Avoid jargon
• Add Editor’s notes
• Contact details
• Send to staff
• Your website
• Pictures?

11. Monitor social websites

12. Talking to
journalists

13. Talking to journalists
• Get name, number
and email
• What info do they
have already?
• Challenge false
assumptions
• When is story going
in?
• When to respond?
• How to respond?
• Where to respond?
• Radio: live or pre-
recorded?
• Simple statements
• Don’t fill silences
• Speak at 100wpm
• Be confident, in
control
• Practise in advance

14. Don’t be flippant
“I lost my business, my £650,000 salary and £500 million was wiped
off the valuation of the company overnight,” Gerald Ratner

15. Think before you sink
“I want my life back,” Tony Hayward, former BP CEO

16. When the story’s ‘all wrong’
• Two sides to every story
• Press release won’t be used
verbatim
• Is article fair?
• Ask for a correction, follow-up
• Use Letters page
• Use your own website
• Don’t be rude, be realistic

17. Turn bad news to your advantage
Use it to build positive PR

18. PR Made Easy
Anita Syvret