How to Handle a Tough News Cycle

Keep Comms and Carry On

You are the founder of a startup. You get a call. “I am looking for your comment. I heard from my sources that your company is…” 
 
The reporter begins to fill you in on the piece. They are chasing a story leaked from a source (or two…or three…) and trying to confirm the facts. Maybe it is a negative story, or perhaps it is just something you are not yet talking about publicly. In short, it’s stuff you would rather not see in print. Oh, and they want to publish within the hour.

Don’t Panic

Remember, the job of the reporter is to investigate leads and report on factual information that serves the public good. Reporters want to be first to cover the news, but they also want to get it right. Assuming the story they have heard is not wildly, completely, totally, and utterly inaccurate (handling those calls is a blog post for another day), you will have a short amount of time to help make sure the story is as accurate and balanced as possible. But how do you do that?

Get the Information

While you are still on the phone with the reporter, try to get as much information as possible. Remember that the reporter wants to get the story right, so they will likely share some details of the piece so that you can help fact-check and correct the story as appropriate. As much as possible, try to find out:

• What is the story, as the reporter currently understands it? (Note: This may not be the most accurate story, but it is the story that the reporter has heard and is chasing down.)
• Who is the source of the information (if the reporter will share)? Who is the reporter quoting (if anyone)? Who is involved in the story?
• When will the story publish? How much time can they give you to respond? Where will the story run?

This is an investigative conversation. Say as little as possible until you are ready to be on the record. After you get the details from the reporter, ask for a little time to collect info and respond. You can usually get at least 30 minutes to gather data and ensure you provide accurate info. And if you have someone in comms on your team or are working with a PR agency, get them in the loop ASAP?—?even if it means texting them while you are on the phone with the reporter.

Have a Plan (AKA…Don’t Hope No One is Going to Notice)

I’ve found that it’s usually not a “PR problem”?—?it’s usually an actual problem that comes to light in the press. Very rarely are companies caught completely off guard by a leaked story. You probably know shit is going to go down. Get prepared.

Sometimes, the right answer is to decline to comment and let the news cycle pass. Other times, you need to aggressively and rigorously defend your company. How do you decide which path to take?

• Have you done something wrong?
• …If so, did you correct it immediately?
• …If you did not correct it immediately, why not?
• What are your plans to make it right going forward (policy changes, customer refunds, new security protocols, etc)? 
• Who will be impacted by this news, and how much will they be impacted?

If you did something wrong, then brace yourself for the negative news cycle and address it head on. Don’t hope no one will notice because the most important people will?—?the news will impact your team, customers, partners, and new recruits. You need to head it off directly. In this case, you are likely not going to turn a negative story into a positive one. Your goal is to get the immediate story as close to neutral as possible. Over the fullness of time, companies are judged by their response to negative situations and whether they handled the issue with integrity and transparency. 

That said, a leaked story doesn’t always mean it’s a negative story. The news could be positive on the whole, but you may have had strategic reasons to want to hold on the news. In this instance, you could consider working with the journalist to help make sure the story is accurate and good for the company in the long run. Have a plan for what you are willing to share if a leak occurs. Alternatively, you might decide you are comfortable with press running a slightly incomplete and/or inaccurate story about your company, if you know that you will be clarifying the news later and that the leak does not negatively affect your brand.
 
Get Media Training
Most people are not naturally awesome public speakers; it takes training and practice to get it right. And you definitely do not want to be practicing during a crisis. Invest in media training for yourself (and your executive team who may be called upon to speak to reporters). This will help you be a concise and effective communicator when your company needs you the most.

Know Who Your Best Spokespeople Are in a Crisis Situation
Be thoughtful about choosing the best public representatives from your company in any given situation. Some issues require the founders to be front and center to show the company is taking the issue seriously. Other times, it’s best to have some distance between the founder and an issue. 

Tell Your Story

“If you don’t tell your story, someone else will.” This is a cliche in PR because it’s true. The story will be written?—?whether you want it to be or not. Depending on the situation, sometimes you can’t say a whole lot. But that does not mean you have to stay silent.

• Are there legal reasons that prevent you from discussing the issue publicly? If so, what can you say to help defend your position?
• Are there other people?—?outside of the company?—?who can/should speak on your behalf?
• What background information can you share with the reporter to help provide greater clarity on the story?

Work closely with other stakeholders (legal, product, the board, etc) to determine what information you can provide that helps frame the story best for your company. Line up experts to speak on your behalf. If necessary, consider providing information “on background”, which typically means that a journalist can use the information in their reporting but will not name or quote you directly. 
 
Take the High Road
When a negative story comes your way, it can be tempting to start attacking the source of the information. Your primary focus should be helping the reporter understand your point of view about the story, not getting into the mud with the original source. I’ve always found it is better to take the high road and respond with integrity by staying focused on your team/product/culture.

Manage the Information Flow

Communications is more than just a public statement to a reporter. It’s how you manage all the information flow to all the constituencies that need to know and hear from you directly in critical situations.

• Have you already communicated directly with those who will be impacted (customers, new recruits, current team members)?

Put Your Team First
When negative news about the company is breaking, your team is your biggest point of exposure. The team wants to hear the news from you, not from the press. They also want to be empowered when their friends and families ask them about the situation. Make sure you get out ahead of the story by explaining to your team quickly and thoroughly 1) what you expect will be reported, and 2) how to handle questions from anyone outside the company?—?including friends, family, new and current customers, and new recruits. Your team should also have clear information regarding who they should contact if a journalist reaches out to them. Your team will be your biggest weapon in the defense against negative stories. (This is one of the reasons why building a strong company culture matters so much.)
 
Don’t Forget About Your Customers and Partners
If the news is breaking during a time when you are negotiating a significant new partnership or customer deal, consider giving your external partners a heads up on the news before it runs. You can share with them in advance what you expect to be reported, and your position on the story. I have seen many situations where this kind of goodwill keeps the negotiation on track and reduces the downside that noise like this can create.

Build Relationships Early (They Matter) 

One mistake I have seen founders make is to focus 100% of their time on building the product and not investing any time into developing press relationships. Strong relationships with press help during good times and bad. When a potentially negative press cycle is heading your way, you can work directly with journalists you know to make sure your side is heard.
 
PR doesn’t just happen when you launch your latest update or announce a new round of funding. PR is something that you work on over time. No question, the product deserves the lion’s share of your attention, but for your entire company to succeed you need to also dedicate time and effort to deepening relationships with the press.

• Who are the 5 most important reporters who cover your industry?
• Do you have relationships with all five of the reporters?

You should carve out time to meet with priority journalists regularly to help them with their ongoing reporting and ensure they understand what you are trying to achieve. Your PR agency should not “own” press relationships on behalf of your company?—?as the founder, you should. Take the time to get to know the reporters who cover your industry well in advance of any big launch or event that you want coverage. 

Don’t Take it Personally

If a journalist is working on a story that reflects negatively on your company, the easiest thing to do is to dismiss the reporter as “not liking you” or “showing their bias” or even worse, “lying”. This is very rarely the case. Mostly, reporters are just doing their jobs?—?following up on tips, working their networks for useful information, and trying to develop a story that their readers will care about. 
 
Smart founders will engage with the press to help them understand the nuance of the story they are chasing. The goal is to bring proper perspective to the story such that you minimize the downside for your company. Remember, their job is to report the story and your job is to ensure your company is represented as well as possible. 

Develop a Plan to Regain Control 

This post is focused on getting through the immediate sting of a negative news cycle. Once you are through the first wave, you’ll need to develop a plan to change the narrative when you can regain control. This may be weeks?—?or even months into the future?—?but it should be the focus for you going forward. 

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I sincerely hope this has been a helpful piece. If you have any additional thoughts or suggestions, I would love to hear more in the comments.