Communicating to council

BY JENNY WINDLE

PIOs think about target audiences: Who are we trying to reach? What do they need to know? How can we share our key messages effectively with them specifically? It doesn’t take long before PIOs realize that their elected officials are a target audience all unto themselves. They need a certain level of TLC that can vary from elected to elected, but take it from a former PIO, they should never be left in the dark or on their own searching for information. If your council is like a moth, then a hot mic is a flame.

Since this month is all about being prepared for emergencies and the spooky season of Halloween is just ahead, I cannot help but merge the two ideas when thinking about the best way to communicate with your council or board. In a horror movie, it is never a good idea to split up; no one fares well. The same goes for communication, especially amid an emergency. It is better to stick together, investigate what’s really happening, and see it through to the end as a team.

Here are a few tricks to help you survive a crisis by communicating proactively with your elected officials.

Don’t answer the phone: Elected officials are a great conduit to get information out to the public, and media often goes to them directly for comment. In an emergency, you need one media point of contact at a time, and that should be the PIO. This can be a hard rule to follow for elected officials, so as soon as possible, get in touch with your elected team. Let them know how they can help, and what the outreach objectives are given the situation. It’s also helpful to identify someone on staff to be assigned with the task of updating council, as well as taking inventory of any feedback they’re hearing directly from residents or customers. That information could be helpful, or not, but either way, they need a person to share it with. And that person should not be you.

Don’t say “I’ll be right back”: Information voids during a crisis can feel deafening, so I’ve learned that it helps to send a simple note to alert elected officials of when the next update will be. They’ll know to be on the look-out, and they’ll also understand that it’s in progress. This does two things for you: it reduces the impulse to share a rogue message in the meantime, and it subtly reminds them that good messages take time to get right. Make it clear that your team is on it, and that updates will be shared with them in advance of the public (even if just by a minute or two).

This is not an invitation to edit. It’s just a friendly heads-up.

Don’t get lost: Being prepared in advance of a crisis is absolutely the best-case scenario, but even the most prepared PIO cannot anticipate every single type of crisis. There is always a plot twist. If you get caught flat footed, remember that you have a team and tried-and-true tactics that work in non-emergencies. Start with what you know, figure out who needs to know, and what they need to learn. Keeping your messaging simple, clear and transparent should always be your guide when communicating with council and the public, emergency or otherwise.

We often find that after an emergency communication tends to be valued a little more internally with our clients because everyone realizes just how nuanced and critical our work can be. Imagine a natural disaster hits and no one knows what is happening, elected officials contradict other “official” statements, and the public gets left in the lurch. That is the nightmare.

But we can help. We’ve worked with a number of cities and special districts on their emergency communications plans to help them prepare for crises before they happen. We’ve also assisted after a crisis hits. From scandals to natural disasters, we’ve been there, and we’re ready to help you be the protagonist of your next PIO sequel.

Contact us if you’d like to learn more about our strategic planning services.