Have big news? Manage the Message

PUBLISHED October 2, 2013 IN Branding & Messaging

WRITTEN BY Myah Shein

Have big news? Manage the Message image

These past weeks I’ve been confided in by multiple clients that there is big news on the horizon.  While I will not be spilling the beans on the actual news, the process for how big news should be shared with the world is an interesting one to explore.

Here’s how it generally starts – usually in an offhanded way that leads to a closed door discussion:

Client:  Alison, I need to tell you something in confidence.   The firm is working on something that we’ll need to announce.

Me:  Sure.  What do you have going on?

Client:  (Shares big news.)

Me:  Congrats.  That’s great.  I have a few questions about that if you don’t mind.

 

Here’s the good part… my questions!

Who is “in the know” until the announcement date and how to do we “keep a lid on it” until then?

Preventing a leak is vital to communicating big new

Gossip is the enemy because people invent the parts of the story they don’t know – and love to share predictions as fact

 

How does this news affect our audiences?  (Who will be asking WIIFM “What’s in it for me”?) In what order is the news announced?  Potential audiences include:

Firm leadership

Firm employees (may not all be affected in same way – give consideration to special cases or those more/less affected than others)

Clients

Prospects

Referral sources

Member organizations/associations

Community

Vendors

Competitors

Media

What are the key take-away message points that we want people to remember and tell others if asked?

Satisfy people’s concerns so they can focus beyond their own needs being met

Point their attention toward the positive

Allow them to ask questions if appropriate

When is this happening? And how far in advance of this effective date should we make an announcement? What do we need to do to prepare?

Thinking through messaging for each audience

Writing or scripting message

Preparing the announcement team

What method of communication should be used to communicate with each of our audiences?

In person meeting

Phone call

Letter

Email

Press release – business publications, association newsletters, town paper of involved employees

Website

Social media

Advertisement in newspaper/trade magazine

 

Positive big news is exciting and can create momentum for your business in a variety of areas including morale and growth.   Negative big news can be managed and the damage mitigated with proper planning.  So, whether good or bad news is brewing, manage the message for the best results.

Need help thinking through these steps?  I’d be glad to help!