Crisis Communications,

Public Relations Messages

& Negotiation

• Corporate Communication BT11903

• Lecturer: Dr. Jakaria Dasan
 PART 1
Crisis Communications &
Public Relations Messages
 Learning Objectives
LO1 Explain how crisis communications and public
relations messages impact organizational
reputation.
LO2 Describe the nature of crisis management in
today’s organizations.
LO3 The planning process to crisis communications.
LO4 Construct effective and responsible crisis
messages.
LO5 Explain how to handle external complaints and
negative rumors.

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 Learning Objectives
LO6 Review crisis communications for fairness and
effectiveness.
LO7 Describe the role of public relations messages in
today’s organizations.
LO8 Apply the planning process to public relations
messages.
LO9 Construct effective and responsible public
relations messages.
LO10 Review public relations messages for fairness and
effectiveness.

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 Crisis Communication Messages
Companies should operate under the
assumption that crises will occur
To minimize and correct damage to victims
and avoid excessive reputation loss,
companies should
excel at all stages of
crisis management

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The Stages of Crisis Management

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 Stakeholder Groups

These are the

audiences of an
organization in public
relation

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 Audience Analysis for Crisis
Communications
Crisis communication teams should focus not
only on what information to provide but also
on how they can show empathy
The success of many crisis messages hinges
on the recipients’ emotional reactions to
them.

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 Message Structure for Crisis
Communications
Express concern

Explain corrective actions

Provide instructions

Give an excuse/justification

Provide compensation/apology

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 Creating Crisis Messages
Once crisis communication teams have
planned their messages, they must act under
significant time pressures to compose them.
They must also act quickly to modify them for
various media: letters, emails, web pages,
blogs, texts, radio and television broadcasts,

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 Responding to External Complaints and
Handling Negative Rumors in the Social Age

Gather the facts

Avoid heavy-handedness (show of force)

Respond quickly

Use the appropriate channels

Rely on external advocates

Respond with credentials

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 Case Study
Malaysian Airline System (MAS):
a) The business condition before MH370
tragedy
b) Managing crisis and saving business.

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 SPOKESPERSON
Malaysia Airlines Group CEO Ahmad Juahari Yahya, front,
speaks during a news conference

 Why Malaysia Airlines’ Group CEO

Ahmad Jauhari Yahya acted as the
spokesperson for MAS? Wouldn’t
MAS have public relations officer?
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 Reviewing Crisis Messages
During the crisis response stage, you will
likely be pressed for time
In these tense moments, rereading your
written crisis communications is essential

Pay special attention to accuracy

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 The announcement
earlier made by Prime
Minister Datuk Seri
Najib Razak on March
17, 2014 that flight

MH370 ended in
the southern of
Indian Ocean is
now almost
completed in its
search and
investigations
with 99% meet the
expectations.

In his recent statement, Transport Minister Datuk Liow

Tiong Lai believes that MH370 search which focused in
the Indian Ocean area that was annouced earlier

by PM Najib Razak which is based on a flight path in the

vicinity of 120 square kilometers, is accurate. 11-17
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The Role of Public Relations Today
In the emerging Social Age, companies are
less able to generate predictable media
exposure due to the shrinking options in mass
advertising, the increasingly fragmented
media landscape, and the growing
importance of online consumer reviews and
activist blogs

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 The Role of Public Relations Today
Corporate reputation
 an intangible asset that allows the company to
better manage the expectations and needs of its
various stakeholders,
creating differentiation
and barriers in relation to its
competitors

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 Principles for PR Communications
 Establish and maintain credible relationships with
stakeholders.
 Build PR activities around a brand or strategic
launch.
 Complete full cycles in PR campaigns.
 Communicate the good your company does.
 Adapt your PR messages to Information Age and
Social Age communication channels.

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 Develop Credible Relationships

 Economic  Ethical responsibility

responsibility  corporate activities
 producing products comply with high
and services that ethical and legal
meet the needs of standards
customers and clients

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 Develop Credible Relationships

 Social responsibility
 companies give back,
serve, and meet the
social interests of
their communities

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 Build a Brand or
Strategic Promotion

The goal is not just to gain positive public

exposure. Rather, it is to carve out a
distinctive corporate reputation for
delivering value that is superior to that of
competitors

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Transition from Information Age PR
to Social Age PR
In Social Age PR, business professionals can
find a way around the traditional media and
use communication channels that more
quickly reach stakeholders
In this social media environment, PR
professionals will increasingly give
stakeholders the opportunity to talk back

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 Social Media Teams
1. Develop formal social media policies
2. Monitor internal and external communities
3. Engage online communities
4. Act as first responders by acknowledging
mistakes

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Tools for PR Messages: Information Age
Audiences and Social Age Audiences

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 Audience Analysis for Public
Relations Messages
As you develop PR messages, answer questions such
as the following about each stakeholder group:
How much do they know about your company? How
positively or negatively do they view it?
What is their view of your brand value? Are they
satisfied with your performance in the following
areas: economic responsibility, social responsibility,
and ethical responsibility?

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 Audience Analysis for Public
Relations Messages
 From what sources do
they get information
about you and your
competitors?
 Through which
communication
channels can you best
reach them?

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 Creating PR Messages
Once you have planned your message, you
are ready to write it with a focus on achieving
excellence in tone, style, and design.
Because most stakeholders will make rapid
judgments and be skeptical of your motives
and interests, you want a friendly tone.

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 PART 2
Conversations and Negotiations
 Outline
The characteristics of and strategies for good
conversation
How to deal with arguments
The characteristics of and strategies for
negotiation
When to negotiate and when not to
The strategies for negotiating in various
situations

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 Conversations

Conversations in a business context are probably

more formal than talking in a casual context. In
business, you will get many opportunities to engage
in formal conversations, and in each one of them
you should be able to leave a positive impression
on the person or the group you are conversing
with.

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 Conversations

They are better structured

All the key people must be involved

They must be risk free

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 Negotiation… Conflict resolution

We all negotiate in various situations in our daily lives

and at our workplaces. From very small issues, such as those in our
daily routine, to bigger strategic decisions, such as acquiring another company, all
are a part of the negotiation process, and as a professional, we need to be good
negotiators.

If you are in a career of sales, much of your time would

be spent on negotiating deals with clients. If you are a
part of the customer services team too, you would be negotiating with your clients.

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Communication skills and negotiations

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Why people stay away from negotiations?

• Fear of rejection

• Fear of developing a poor

relationship with the other party

• Fear of failure

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When to negotiate?

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When ‘not’ to negotiate?

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Phases of negotiation

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 Qualities of good negotiator

• Patience and ability to listen

• Self-confidence
• Lack of inhibition
• Attention to details
• Clarity in the thought process
• Persistence
• Ability to draw quick attention from other
people

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Thank you