It can be cringe-worthy to watch public gaffes by influencers, public figures and celebrities. Particularly if those individuals bypass the advice of a publicist or communications professional. Sometimes the crash can be greater than it needs to be.

As humans we are bound to make mistakes, say offensive things and at times behave in less than flattering ways. One of the ways to minimize the impact on a personal brand, is to employ communications techniques that give you a chance to rebound, rebrand or pivot. We will explore five things you can do to minimize fallout.

ONE:


Public statement. One of the best ways to minimize fallout from any disaster is to submit a public statement. Increasingly Many influencers, celebrities and public figures create these statements on their own. This is a mistake. It’s worth your time and money to hire someone to write a few lines for you. The major mistake I see in the composition of Public staements, is that they often are too detailed, lengthy and include new information. If you’re going to write your own public statement, make it brief, address the issue and don’t lie. However, a public statement can do great work off it is well written and employed with other public relations techniques.

TWO:

Silence. The term silence is golden is absolutely true. Many people dive even deeper into the abyss of their public social gaffes by talking too much, taking interviews and trying to explain themselves. Usually in the abundance of words there are errors, ommissions and admissions that are best left unsaid. After submitting a statement (if the gaffe warrants a statement), stop talking. If you are public facing, you can inform people you’d not like to discuss it or hire a full or part time communications person to help you navigate public appearances. If the misstep involves the authenticity of your brand, and you are public facing figure, you do have to address it when asked. However keep your address short and sweet.

THREE:

Fall Back. Unless you are on a major tour and you are unable to take some time away from the spotlight, it’s a good idea to take a step back from the falllout. Falling back means everything from scaling down social media posts to out right taking a trip away for a few months. The news cycle is such that something new and salacious is bound to come up. Use this to your advantage. A failure to fall back often permanently associates you with the infraction and cements it into the minds of the people. Falling back too long makes the fallout the only thing people know you for when you come back on the scene.

FOUR: Avoid video confessions and statements unless they are prepared and rehearsed with a professional. Video can be the worst kind of memorial for a fallout. People are able to plaster your face and voice everywhere in snippets and clips that will live on in infamy forever. A statement is often never referenced years later; and even when it is, it carries less impact than video.

FIVE: Pivot. Depending on the magnitude of the infraction you may need to pivot. For instance, if you are known as the Vegan Queen and you are caught eating a rack of lamb and cheesecake, you may not want to continue preaching the Vegan gospel. In fact you may be seen as disingenuous or deceptive if you do. However, you can tweak your offering with a slight pivot. Become “The Part Time Vegan” and talk about how you became a flexitarian after finding it difficult to be a full vegan. There are plenty of people like you. So cater to that crowd and don’t lie. Truth goes a long way in PR when done right. Also you can reposition yourself to be a gateway for those wishing a steady transition into or out of veganism. However such a pivot should include the consultation of someone like me who can help you reimagine a future doing what you love but rebranded to accommodate the actuality of your lifestyle and what you really have to offer.

Remember, Gaffes and public mistakes are not a reason to shutdown or pretend they didn’t happen. They can be a way to reimagine and reinvent yourself in a better way. It has to be authentic and unforced, so getting the help of a professional can help immensely. Even if you’re only a social media influencer, pay a few bucks or arrange a payment plan to get the consultation. In the future, always have a communications professional on hand or in your phone book if you are a public figure, influencer or (A, B, D list) celebrity. You can hire them by the hour, the week or the project. It’s worth it.

I’ve given you these tips free today, but for more ideas, tips techniques and a personal consultation contact me. Discreet, confidentiality and personal services are guaranteed.