How to help establish your story and brand position in today’s media landscape—a crucial preventative measure for brands to avoid crises and fight misinformation.

Ted KittermanAs a crisis communications advisor, Mindy Hamlin is often called in once the fire has started. Someone has taken to social media, or is threatening public action that could jeopardize how an organization is perceived in the community.Real money is on the line, and many organizations say they now place reputation and trust at the center of major business decisions—even before considerations of profit and revenue. In a report from Signal AI, over 85% of business leaders and decision makers say that reputation is a higher priority than margin when making decisions.Yet, if preventative measures aren’t taken, crisis mitigation efforts can be too little, too late.Hamlin, principal with Hamlin Communications, shared an example of one client on a recent call for Ragan’s Crisis Leadership Network, who had visibility in small communities they served where leaders were faced with a reputational threat when a disgruntled former employee accused them of failing to support women and people of color in the organization. When Hamlin talked to leaders, however, “they start telling me all these fantastic stories.”

Hamlin was floored by the ways that the organization had helped employees and there were diverse leaders and women who held meaningful positions—but the company hadn’t told their story sufficiently, and they were vulnerable.Continue reading here...