Most issues/crises aren’t messaging issues, and can’t be fully addressed or solved with a cleverly crafted message. Many are business issues, requiring reflection, and sometimes changes, to business operations. And sometimes what looks like a blooming crisis might actually represent a business opportunity …
One of my past clients owned a private jet service business that operated from a municipal airport. A reporter snuck onto the property and walked up to one of my client’s planes. An aviation consultant told the reporter that if he was skilled enough, he would’ve been able to access and fly the plane, and that this is where the next 9/11-type situation could happen. The reporter wanted my client to go on camera and answer some questions. When I called the reporter to get all the details, it was clear he had visited multiple municipal/private airports, his story was almost fully formed, and he just needed a face for the devil of his story. I told him we’d get back to him promptly.
Through conversations with my client, I learned he requested permission from the county on multiple occasions to allow him to invest his own money to secure the perimeter, add a gated entry, install cameras, and more, even though he leased, not owned, the property. The county turned him down every time. I asked whether he would consider getting that approval from the county as a win, and he enthusiastically said he would.
That day, we sent a hand-delivered letter to the county judge outlining the situation, history, and my client’s continued desire to further secure the premises. Within an hour, the judge called giving him that approval. I called the reporter and said my client would not be going on camera for this piece, but gave him the update and backstory and invited him to join us for the installation of those security elements and said my client would be happy to talk to him then, and that the station could obviously own some part of the outcome.
The reporter was ecstatic, said someone already agreed to go on camera, and was eager to work on the follow-up story. The initial piece did not go well for those who went on camera, my client avoided negative exposure, the reporter got to extend the storyline and take some credit for security enhancements, and the second piece reflected well for my client, who preserved and enhanced the value of his reputation and his business.
The next time you face an issue with potential to spiral into a crisis, dig deeper for the real source of concern and evaluate whether a message-first approach is your best bet. Business issues require a business fix. And sometimes, a business issue can reveal a hidden business opportunity that can result in a stronger, more valuable, and respected company.