Crisis communications has had its hands full over the last few weeks.  From the terrible tragedy at SeaWorld to continuing product issues at Toyota to the Tiger Woods’ scandal, crisis communications 101 has been in high demand.

When all is said and done, the first rule of crisis communications is simple and something your parents and teachers probably taught you at an early age – tell the truth.  Yes, I said it: the truth is a very powerful thing.  Public relations – in my opinion – shouldn’t be used to spin or cover up an issue that could damage the reputation of a theme park, an automaker or an athlete.  Instead, it should be used to tell the truth, explain to the public in a straightforward way the reason for the problem and focus on positive steps and actions that will take place in the future to prevent any further wrongdoing.

Of course, it is a challenge when your key spokespeople misspeak or crack under pressure during a press conference, but our role as PR professionals should be to coach them through tough times and give them a strong set of talking points to stick to when the media comes a calling.  Don’t get me wrong, rebuilding reputations is very tough work and takes time, but it can be done with a strategic communications plan that is built around the truth.

In an effort to tighten the proverbial Y&A belt, we decided to forego conference attendance in favor of webinars, etc in 2009. This year, as things are on the upswing, I have been fortunate to get out of my lair and attend a few client trade conferences and seminars. For the larger events, I am amazed that conference organizers are still allowing presenters to so boldly pitch their own wares. Not to steal Judge Judy’s shtick, but “Don’t pee on me and tell me it’s raining.”

For the last few years, I have heard countless conference planners and owners bemoan decreasing attendance sponsorship and attendance numbers. No kidding. Why would I attend a conference and pay 1,000 bucks or more—plus travel expenses—only to hear a sales preso when I expected to come and learn something. If that’s the case, next time I’ll buy the $150 conference expo pass and go from booth to booth asking for my own tailored sales pitch. Conferences are always great for networking and exposing your organization, but there needs to be a safe haven for pure and simple learning.

As the snow falls again in the DC-area today – luckily only brief snow showers – I still can’t get over last week’s record-breaking snowfall – 50+” at my house. Here are some reflections and anecdotes from Snowmageddon / Snowpocalypse.

1)    Thank You Social Media: Kudos to BWI airport in Baltimore for their ongoing Twitter program and regular website updates. I’m not the first to say this, but in today’s always-on world, getting minute-by-minute updates in a major weather event is wonderful – especially when you have to travel. (Wish I could say the same for the airlines.) I am happy to report that Jennifer MacLeid Qotb and I successfully and safely made it to Philadelphia and Manhattan for successful business meetings, and back to our homes right before the worst of Round Two hit. Jennifer flew in on one of the first flights to BWI early Monday morning ( Feb. 8 ) without a delay.

2)    Snow Daze: Working from home or telecommuting is not immune to snow days. Under blizzard conditions with the whole family home buzzing with excitement, it is hard to get in a full day’s work – and who doesn’t enjoy a snow day?

3)    Reconnecting and Uniting: Nothing like a major weather event to force you to slow down and reconnect. In a region dominated by horrendous traffic and bureaucratic red tape, the epic snowstorm(s) united communities against a common enemy – the weather!

4)    The Importance of Local News: While many of us in the area got hyperlocal news reports from Facebook, Twitter and blogs, the local television news was in its glory – out in the thick of it – with yard sticks for measuring the snow and Skype for taping segments where news trucks couldn’t go.

2010 DC-Area Blizzard Round Two

With Valentine’s Day fresh on the brain, I was thinking about how many of the same tenets for personal friendships or romantic relationships also apply to professional relationships with reporters or bloggers. The dance of communication (or miscommunication at times) plays a major role, and there must be interest on both sides for it to work. With the ”Hallmark holiday” in mind, I offer five ways to a reporter’s or blogger’s heart…Please drop a comment on whether these work for you or if you have others to add.

1)    Show a Common Interest – Do your research and demonstrate your familiarity with their work by reading their articles/posts before you contact them. This is a simple, but often overlooked, way to earn bonus points and to show them that you’ve tailored your story idea for them rather than a mass reporter e-mail.

2)    Know Their Communication Preferences – Is a particular reporter always on Twitter but you can’t get them on the phone or to respond to e-mail? I’ve recently had success with this one by sending a Twitter Direct Message to a hard-to-reach tech reporter (after we reciprocated follows) and got interest within minutes.

3)    Stay in Touch – After the correspondence for a particular story has wrapped it may seem unnecessary to continue the dialogue, but staying on the radar requires a little TLC. Don’t be afraid to check in again in a month or two if you have another valuable market perspective to share or to see what the reporter or blogger is working on now.

4)    Offer Interesting Stories – Reporters and bloggers are always looking for a unique perspective to capture readers’ attention, so up your chances of being included by giving them a spice of controversy (enough to pique attention without being reckless) or presenting a new or different angle for a relevant topic.

5)    Follow Through – Media contacts remember which marketing and PR professionals make their jobs easier by facilitating interviews around deadlines and providing requested follow-up material in a timely manner. They also remember the ones who don’t, so deliver on your promises before closing out an interview or story.