Why you should run into the fire when everyone is screaming to get out. (Sometimes).

Hot takes from Story Partners SVP Betsy Stephenson, crisis trainer, memoir author, and pet contest expert

Sometimes the best way through a crisis is to run into the heat. Our clients are operating in a very challenging news environment. It’s hard to know when to speak up and when to let the news of the day slide by. But if your company is burning in controversy, sometimes you can come out stronger if you resist the urge to hide from the flames. Companies that run into the controversy can demonstrate their guts, creativity, and quick thinking. This level of bold accountability can be admirable and attractive to customers and stakeholders. (A good example is Astronomer, which hired Gwyneth Paltrow for an ad after its CEO resigned in the wake of his Coldplay kiss-cam cameo.)

🔥 Whatever approach you take to crisis, there’s one that’s assured to fail, and that’s hiding from it.

Washington can be transactional, but that doesn’t mean you need to be. Sometimes you need to get in front of your audience in a non-transactional way. Take the Animal Health Institute’s Cutest Pets on Capitol Hill contest, which is intentionally non-political and feel-good. Since its inception 17 years ago, it’s become more than just a contest; it’s an annual event that helps our client bring to life its mission in a memorable, engaging, and fun way. In the process, Cutest Pets has become a reliable touchpoint between the animal health industry and Congress.

Podcasts are practice for everything. Story Partners regularly places clients on podcasts and I have been on dozens of podcasts for my book, and I’ve learned that they are good practice for every type of communication you might undertake. The ability to have extended, in-depth conversations with podcasters that are interested in my specific story helps me craft the soundbites I need for mainstream media interviews, live interviews (like with CNN’s Jake Tapper), and public speaking. Same could be said for testimony, lobbying, board meetings, or sales pitches. Podcasts also give you a chance to see how others take your words and turn them into a product for their audiences, which helps you learn what people are interested in and what they’re responding to.

Why should I care? This is the question I ask when I’m working on any project. It’s so simple, but sometimes clients can be so enthusiastic about their industry, product, or issue that they forget that people may not share their passion. Instead of trying to convince audiences, it’s more effective to find a way to make them care.

Read more about Betsy and her work in more than 30 years of communications experience here.