PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS

Messaging and media training: How to handle reporters when “it” hits the fan

Managing a crisis is like fighting a fire on multiple fronts—and managing media inquiries during a crisis can feel like stoking the flames. How you handle your relations with the media when bad news flares can make the difference between struggling with a major PR disaster and enhancing both your organization’s image and your career. Join this workshop to learn what it takes to move the media toward your organization’s narrative during a crisis. The tools, guidance, checklists and hands-on exercises you receive here will help protect (and promote) your organization when the stakes are at their highest. 

You’ll learn:

• The power of the press—how a smart media relations strategy fits into a “360” crisis plan
• Media training boot camp: How to train execs, staff, SMEs and allies in the key skills they’ll need in a crisis
• A process for crafting and delivering media messages in a crisis, including:
  • How to prioritize media requests
  • Staying on-point during tough questions
  • Pivoting from reactive to proactive messages
  • When and how to apologize (with legal approval, of course)
• Recovery tactics: Using a reporter’s needs to help you restore reputation
• How to work with press to calm all stakeholder concerns

Lunch break

Social media crisis management: Smarter ways to identify and resolve threats


Social media opened exciting new avenues for informing your public. It also opened organizations to new threats—like negative reviews and comments, viral videos and simple oversights that can erupt into reputational firestorms in seconds. No matter the size of your organization, you should always have a plan for the unexpected that includes social media. From pre-incident prep to all-hands-on deck response, this in-depth session will provide you with the latest tools and processes you need to identify issues and resolve them in an efficient and successful manner.

You’ll learn:

• How to monitor brand conversations and identify issues
• How—and when—to respond to issues via social media
• Practical ways to structure your social media crisis team(s)
• Best practices for social media governance and standards
• The latest tools for publishing, listening and reporting

When all hell breaks loose: Create a digital-ready crisis plan in seven steps

Most crisis plans sit on the proverbial shelf and gather dust because they’re generic and impractical. On the other hand, the best crisis plans are tailored specifically to your industry, organization, team, resources and risks. Join this hands-on interactive session to get started creating—or updating—your own custom crisis plan. You’ll workshop the 10 essential considerations necessary to craft your own crisis plan, discover what works based on lesson-implicit case studies—and leave with steps, checklists and even flowcharts you need to protect your career and organization when it matters most. Come ready to roll up your sleeves!

You’ll learn:

• What’s wrong with crisis plans today—examples and mistakes to avoid
• 10 considerations for any effective crisis plan—rom utilizing a risk assessment to clearly defining roles and responsibilities
• Critical steps in the crisis management process—from notification and assessment to response and post-incident analysis
• Essential elements that ensure your custom crisis plan is executable and works for you