Associations have faced big challenges over the last year with the COVID-19 pandemic, so when I was asked to repeat my popular 2019 Association Media & Publishing presentation on crisis PR, I adjusted it to talk about communicating during the pandemic.
A crisis is anything that can damage the reputation of your association—anything … [more]
In a piece for Business Insider, Steppingstone LLC founder Ami Neiberger-Miller revealed the inside story on how we rebuilt our business after tragedy struck in 2007. On August 6, 2007, Ami’s brother, U.S. Army Specialist Christopher Neiberger, age 22, was killed in combat in the Iraq war. Ami and Steppingstone LLC’s … [more]
As I write this, nonprofit clients are cancelling fundraising events and telling staff to work from home. Due to the spread of coronavirus, they’re worrying about lost donations, scrambling to keep productivity up while working from home, and concerned about the safety of their staff, volunteers, and the people they help.
While … [more]
When the owner of the Grille at Rose Hill in Gaithersburg, Maryland took to Facebook to denounce a customer for complaining to the county health department that the restaurant’s staff were not wearing face masks (mandated in the county where the restaurant is located right now) and for placing customers too close together, the … [more]
Think associations can’t face PR problems? Think again. The mayor of the city hosting your association’s annual meeting is accused of a horrible crime and still wants to give the opening address at your conference. A program run by a member has put lives at risk and someone died. Your members openly ignore the best practices you recommend … [more]
When the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation aired its first ever super Bowl ad ever in 2016, I’m sure the organization’s leadership hoped their effort would be met with widespread acclaim and praise. Instead, they faced a heap of criticism for showing a clip with the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001, collapsing … [more]
Requesting a correction to a news story is a delicate business – and it’s easy for even a well-branded and iconic nonprofit organization to make a mistake. The American Red Cross recently sent a 12-page list of corrections to ProPublica and NPR over an investigative series highlighting serious concerns about its … [more]
Like many nonprofit PR pros, I’ve been following the fireworks … [more]
The Washington Post ran an incredible front page story yesterday about Vienna Presbyterian Church in northern Virginia and the congregation’s struggle to deal with sexual, emotional and spiritual abuse of a dozen young girls by a youth minister.
The original abuse was uncovered when one survivor bravely came forward, … [more]
When I used to work for a youth-serving agency, I kept crisis plans in a folder in a drawer near my desk. One of them was for what to do in the event of a child abuse allegation against a staff member or volunteer.
Thankfully, I never had to use that particular crisis plan. But every agency serving young people should heed the lessons from the … [more]
CBS News has an interesting piece on the Livestrong Foundation and its efforts to dis-entangle itself from disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong and launch a new identify apart from him. The news story and the charity’s efforts beg the question – will one of America’s most well-known charities survive a crisis of epic … [more]
This cover story magazine article by Ami Neiberger-Miller, “Going Green: A Crisis Powerfully Transformed a Camp’s Perspective on Care for the Environment,” examines how Warm Beach Christian Camps and Conference Center overcame an environmental crisis and won new supporters in the community. The article was … [more]
Ami Neiberger-Miller wrote this article offering tips for rescue mission staff on coping with public relations during a crisis. She interviewed staff from the Portland Rescue Mission in Oregon and City Rescue Mission in Oklahoma City. The article reminded readers to keep media lists up to date, know their core messages and best targets … [more]
I enjoyed speaking last week for PRSA-NCC’s PR Day for Charitable Nonprofits here in Washington, D.C. One hundred people representing 80 different nonprofit organizations attended the half-day event, which was organized by our National Capital Chapter for the Public Relations Society of America.
Keynote speaker … [more]
The blogosphere and media have had a field day lampooning Kansas Governor Sam Brownback’s staff for their heavy-handed response to a rude tweet by a teenager. In case you missed the hubbub, Emma Sullivan, an 18-year-old participating in a Youth in Government program, tweeted a rude comment about the governor for her friends, … [more]
If you have ever wondered why you walked out of a media interview feeling mis-quoted and wanted to do something about it, then When the Headline is You: An Insider’s Guide to Handling the Media by Jeff Ansell, is for you. This messaging guide helps public relations professionals and the people they help understand how to talk about … [more]
