“You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, we’re telling you why…”

Even the big man in red has crises of his own every holiday season. He may be jolly old Saint Nick, but he doesn’t play games when it comes to his busiest day of the year.

Mr. Claus has a crisis communications plan of his own to ensure he still brings ‘joy to the world.’ The following highlights 10 tips to handle a crisis and exactly how Santa incorporates them into his own plan to guarantee ‘all is calm; all is bright.’

1.  Expect it. Even well-run businesses and organizations experience crises. There are things in life that you have no control over. If you expect it, you’ll be prepared, and you’ll be a step closer to surviving it.

Rudolf may have a glowing red nose, but sometimes the foggy night is too much. Santa expects this may be the case, so to combat the fog Santa always keeps his GPS in the sleigh’s glove compartment so he can tell South America from Africa.

2.  Plan for it. Have a crisis communication plan in place, practice it and update it. You wouldn’t go on a sales call unprepared or meet with a client unprepared. If you’re expecting a crisis, why would you face a crisis unprepared?

People celebrate Christmas in July for a reason. That’s when Santa and his reindeer do a practice run, of course! Sure, Santa has been doing this gig for hundreds of years, but practice makes perfect, right?

3.  Step up and act on it. Take control of the situation and the coverage it is generating before it takes control of you. Respond to media inquiries immediately, even if only to tell them you’ll be holding a press conference later in the day. Listen to conversations on Twitter, Facebook, blogs and other social media channels. Be responsive. Be a part of the conversation. Don’t let the public wonder what you are doing about the situation.

‘He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you’re awake.’ He also knows what you’re saying about him on Twitter! Through @santa_claus, Santa is monitoring all inquiries to ensure he is responsive.

4.  Face the facts and tell the truth. While respecting confidentiality and legal restrictions, do your best to share pertinent information quickly and accurately. Never mislead. And remember, nature abhors a vacuum. If you don’t provide information, others will.

With more than 6,019,527,381 houses and apartments here on Earth, it would be a miracle if Santa hit all of them. So sometimes he misses one or two! Therefore, before leaving any continent, Santa’s head elf always calls Santa via the two-way radio (in Santa’s hat of course) to let him know if he missed any.

 5.  Care about it and own it.  Show compassion and concern. Don’t just talk about the issues or the facts. Express feelings and acknowledge feelings as appropriate. Own up to mistakes and express regret. Take care of the victims in the process.

Let’s be honest…the sleigh is pretty heavy and sometimes it damages roofs. Santa’s not the kind of guy to commit a hit-and-run. Santa admits the mistake and calls on the Elf Support Squad to repair any housing damage he may have caused.

6.  Personalize it. Carefully select your spokesperson. In most cases, a written statement cannot adequately tell your side of the story. (An exception would be when legalities prevent you from speaking, or if you strategically wish to distance yourself from a situation, such as a former employee who committed a crime.)

Santa is the face of the holiday season, but sometimes he’s a little busy for media inquiries. That’s why there is back-up! Who’s a better spokesperson than the Mrs.? Mrs. Claus, that is. She knows all key messages to communicate effectively.

7.  Look inward. Don’t neglect your internal audiences and other key stakeholders. Remember employees, board members and vendors, as well as customers and the public. You should make special efforts to keep them informed. Don’t let them get all the details from the newspaper or television. Talk to them directly.

At the North Pole, everyone works hard all year long to ensure Christmas is a special time. That’s why, when any news breaks, Santa’s staff hears it first! Mrs. Claus, the elves and reindeer—without them, Santa would be in trouble.

8.  Include your friends. Especially in a protracted situation, call on your allies to back you up. Are there citizen groups, affinity organizations, customers, clients, vendors, etc., that would be willing to show support for you in a genuine way? Will it ring true with the public?

Children are Santa’s biggest supporters, but Santa has friends all over. In fact, his biggest allies are retailers and parents. If Santa hits a snag at the North Pole, he knows he can count on his friends to cover for him.

9.  Stick with it. Don’t assume you can make only one statement when a crisis breaks. Watch the coverage and the questions and continue to be responsive if the crisis is prolonged. If inaccuracies are reported in the media coverage or through social media, correct them.

Did you know there is a media center at the North Pole? Believe it! Where do you think Santa and his elves monitor @santa_claus? Santa’s too busy for an iPhone, so elves monitor coverage and other events to confirm Santa is receptive.

10.  Learn from it. Evaluate and plan for the future so that your organization can grow from it. Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.

Santa’s been doing this gig for a LONG time. To say he has learned a thing or two is an understatement. Learning is a lifelong experience. Some tips Santa will always remember are the following:

• Eat all the cookies and drink all the milk, or the children take offense.
• Santa’s suit is dry clean only! It also helps if it is flame retardant.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest technology. No more cassette players in the sleigh…ever.
• Regardless the age, everyone has the ability to believe.

Email is my primary form of communication. On average, I probably send between 75-125 emails a day. So why wouldn’t I use the same good manners and business etiquette in an email that I would use in a client meeting?

As public relations professionals, we pride ourselves on good writing, grammar and error-free communication to all audiences. Therefore, everything we do, write, say, post and tweet is a direct reflection on us and the companies we work for.

In my past two years at Borshoff, I have learned a lot about professional etiquette — especially when it comes to email communication. The following five tips are things I’ve learned or reminded myself when emailing with clients, media, colleagues, and even family members. And trust me…if it’s on this list, at some point in my career, I probably did the exact opposite. After all, those “Oops!” moments are also the best learning moments.

Here are my five tips. What would you add?

1. When crafting an email, don’t populate the “To:” field until you have completed typing and proofing your message.
2. Start your email with “Thank you” unless there is a good reason not to.
3. Email auto-fill can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Be sure to check the name that appears when auto-fill occurs, before you send.
4. Be careful not to hit “reply all” unless it is completely necessary.
5. Double and triple proof your emails (whether internal or external) before hitting the send button. If it is a detailed email to clients, have someone else review it before sending.

Another tip not on the list: Air on the side of being formal rather than informal. It is better to over address than under address, especially when emailing a client.

Last week, the Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities held their annual convention – a gathering of more than 400 advocates and individuals with disabilities around the state focusing on “Celebrating Community.”  For me, the conference was more than the incredible keynotes by Glen Hiemstra, Aaron Bishop and Ceasar MacDowell. It went beyond the engaging workshops focused on building an inclusive, livable community.

I was captivated by the stenographer.

During each presentation, the stenographer diligently captured the spoken words and projected them onto a large screen for anyone to read. This observation took me back to COMM 101 – the transportation of a message between the sender and the receiver.  Throughout the conference, I observed so many different methods of message delivery:

• Sign language interpreters
• Braille note-taking
• Low-vision aids
• Hearing aids
• Closed-captioning

It made me think: How do I ensure that the messages I send – videos, logos, presentations, blogs, etc. – are accessible and communicable to everyone? Do our tweets, PowerPoints and YouTube spoofs take into consideration the stenographer’s ability to recount the words or an interpreter’s capability of expressing the sentiment?

Thanks to the stenographer, I will be mindful of creating accessible communications. Please let me know in the comments below any tips you have for ensuring accessible messages.

PowerPoint slides are frequently incorporated into presentations. When they’re executed well, they can increase your audience’s understanding of your message. But a poorly created PowerPoint presentation can be worse than not using visual aids at all – and can distract the audience from the intended message.

Check out our 10 tips for creating a better PowerPoint, and let us know if you have additional advice for communicating to your audience during a presentation.

#Wisconsin born, Northern #IN raised, #Indy resident, #Eastcoast enthusiast. I absolutely love eating here every year: http://www.auntcarriesri.com/

Spent 4 yrs @uindy. Participated on @UIndyCPB #speechteam @UIndyTopDog @UIndyPRSSA and @UIndyMinute. BS in Communication, minor in Poli Sci.

My interest in govt communication led me to intern @Indianasos #FF to #teamoutreach @melanie_woods @burtonjeremy and of course @ToddRokita

I am a huge @Packers fan. I might live tweet during a game #GoPackers, #Win or even #Superbowl2012. Definitely a #Cheesehead4life

Eager to connect with other #PR pros. Now transitioning to membership in @prsahoosier. Find me, @timcoxey, & I’ll send you my #twitbizcard.

Looking forward to learning & growing professionally with #Borshoff. Excited to work on many #publicaffairs projects with a skilled #team.

Newspapers. Landlines. Cursive. The music industry.

Just a few of the products, services or skills that have seen use and viability decline in the past decade. For all the benefits our technological advancements have brought, there are unintended – and diverse – victims. Now, we may add another.

With more than 230 years of history, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is on the brink of a breakdown, and could, arguably, be the largest and most dramatic casualty of the information age. But, as a recent CNN story asked, would it matter?

Sure, technology isn’t solely to blame for the USPS’s troubles, but it has certainly played a part.

Personally, I buy a book of stamps every few months because I just don’t send that much mail. My bills are paid online, most of my written communication is done via email, text or Tweet, and the news is delivered each morning to my laptop.

With the exception of Entertainment Weekly and Netflix envelopes, my mailbox is filled with direct marketing pieces, credit card applications and other inconsequential information that goes right into the circular file.

Even so, I still get a thrill from checking the mailbox each day.

With my family spread across the U.S., snail mail gives us the opportunity not only to stay connected, but to feel close. I love receiving handwritten letters from my mother because it feels like home. My refrigerator is blanketed with artwork by my niece and nephews, and nothing beats a card from grandma with $10.

I understand how people think they can live without mail service, but they are fixated on the parcels and not on the process. For all our social networking, we are certainly less social. It takes a second to send a Tweet, but to actually write a letter (in cursive!) and mail it means a heck of a lot more.

The USPS faces a tough road and difficult decisions, but like other entities in its position before, it can survive. Best of all, every American can help it succeed.

All you need is a pen, paper and a stamp.

By Susan Matthews, APR, principal

No one enjoys dealing with a crisis, but they’re a part of life. Sometimes, coming through a crisis means coming out the good guy. Other times, all we can hope for is survival. To survive and even thrive during and after a crisis, clear communication is key.

1.  Expect it. Even well-run businesses and organizations experience crises. There are things in life that you have no control over. If you expect it, you’ll be prepared, and you’ll be a step closer to surviving it.

2.  Plan for it. Have a crisis communication plan in place, practice it and update it. You wouldn’t go on a sales call unprepared or meet with a client unprepared. If you’re expecting a crisis, why would you face a crisis unprepared?

3.  Step up and act on it. Take control of the situation and the coverage it is generating before it takes control of you. Respond to media inquiries immediately, even if only to tell them you’ll be holding a press conference later in the day. Listen to conversations on Twitter, Facebook, blogs and other social media channels. Be responsive. Be a part of the conversation. Don’t let the public wonder what you are doing about the situation.

4.  Face the facts and tell the truth. While respecting confidentiality and legal restrictions, do your best to share pertinent information quickly and accurately. Never mislead. And remember, nature abhors a vacuum. If you don’t provide information, others will.

5.  Care about it and own it.  Show compassion and concern. Don’t just talk about the issues or the facts. Express feelings and acknowledge feelings as appropriate. Own up to mistakes and express regret. Take care of the victims in the process.

6.  Personalize it. Carefully select your spokesperson. In most cases, a written statement cannot adequately tell your side of the story. (An exception would be when legalities prevent you from speaking, or if you strategically wish to distance yourself from a situation, such as a former employee who committed a crime.)

7.  Look inward. Don’t neglect your internal audiences and other key stakeholders. Remember employees, board members and vendors, as well as customers and the public. You should make special efforts to keep them informed. Don’t let them get all the details from the newspaper or television. Talk to them directly.

8.  Include your friends. Especially in a protracted situation, call on your allies to back you up. Are there citizen groups, affinity organizations, customers, clients, vendors, etc., that would be willing to show support for you in a genuine way? Will it ring true with the public?

9.  Stick with it. Don’t assume you can make only one statement when a crisis breaks. Watch the coverage and the questions and continue to be responsive if the crisis is prolonged. If inaccuracies are reported in the media coverage or through social media, correct them.

10.  Learn from it. Evaluate and plan for the future so that your organization can grow from it. Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.

Here’s a non-news flash: At 600,000,000 users and growing, Facebook offers marketers the potential to reach large amounts of consumers.

It’s the “how” of reaching audiences that spurs countless discussions, debates and arguments.

Help has arrived, however, from Facebook itself. With the creation of Facebook Studio, advertising agencies and marketing professionals can get a glimpse of how brands big and small are using the world’s leading social media site to sell their wares.

Facebook Studio features a Gallery section highlighting creative campaigns and their performance; a Spotlight area for the newest work; an Awards page dedicated to recognizing the most creative usages of the site; a What’s New blog; and the Learning Lab, a Facebook marketing primer.

Upon early review, the site seems like a useful (and overdue) resource. While predictably showing international brands like BMW and Coke, we also see how smaller concerns like OurJewishCommunity.org and the Boston Public Health Commission have used Facebook to effectively communicate to their core audiences.

It’s still up to agencies and businesses to decide the appropriate approach for their social media strategy. But Facebook Studio offers a helpful starting point.

Our client Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL) sponsors tons of worthy causes and community events. So we did a series of 12 ads focusing on how energy is well-spent in the following area: the arts, diversity, environment, social outreach, sports and education.

As you might imagine, the ads are placed in a wide range of programs and publications. Most recently the ad series appeared the Communication Arts (CA) Typography Annual! Pretty sweet, I admit.

But it’s still not as fun as getting to do work you love, with people you love working with (Jenn Berry, Creative Director; Bill Lovejoy, Account Director; Colin Dullaghan, Writer; Penelope Dullaghan, Illustrator). Awards and recognition… that’s gravy. Really delicious gravy.

Branding is certainly not a new topic, but one that continues to get a lot of buzz as more and more companies understand the value of a strong brand, strive to differentiate themselves and work to remain competitive.

When it comes to branding, people typically are not on the same page. Individual interpretations, definitions and experiences all shape one’s understanding of what a brand actually is.

Some are quick to think of it as a new logo or tagline; others believe it’s a company’s product or services. There’s also the perspective that it’s something only big companies need to be concerned about.

The truth is – every company has a brand whether they know it or not; and that brand is defined by the stakeholders (employees, customers, board members, etc.) through their experiences with that organization. This is not to say that a company can’t create its brand – it can. But branding is a complex process with many considerations.

By strengthening market position, engaging employees and building more loyal customers/clients, companies can ultimately influence their brand. And, the most effective brands know how to forge strong relationships and deliver experiences that align with the organization’s goals and values.

Each and every interaction between a company and its stakeholders is critical to a brand – especially communications.

So if you ask Borshoff to define a brand, we’ll likely reply, “Everything.” And if you ask us what our company does … well, let’s just say, “Build, protect and strengthen brands.”

Borshoff has impacted a number of brands over the past 26 years. Recently we’ve developed new brands for Indianapolis Power & Light Company, RW Armstrong and Hoosier Park Racing & Casino – to name a few. Click here to view some of our work.

I’ve said on many an occasion: “If I want to get really down on humanity, all I need to do is read some reader comments in response to an online article.” Too often these jibes are beyond nasty; they’re downright cruel.

In conversations with reporters from the Indianapolis Star, the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere, I hear them lament that they hesitate to interview some people for fear that the innocent interviewee will suffer taunts and insults through online reader feedback. How sad and ironic that in the spirit of increased dialogue, we’re limiting the stories, people and ideas that are offered to us through the news media.

So it was with great interest that I read Andrew Alexander ‘s article in today’s Washington Post. The Post is striving to balance respect for others on the one hand, with the benefits of free speech on the other. And they’re coming up with some creative solutions.

Alexander reports: “The solution is in moderating — not limiting — comments. In a few months, the Post will implement a system that should help. It’s still being developed, but [Hal] Straus [who oversees commenting for the Web site] said the broad outlines envision commenters being assigned to different ‘tiers’ based on their past behavior and other factors. Those with a track record of staying within the guidelines, and those providing their real names, will likely be considered ‘trusted commenters.’ Repeat violators or discourteous agitators will be grouped elsewhere or blocked outright. Comments of first-timers will be screened by a human being. When visitors click to read story comments, only those from the ‘trusted’ group will appear. If they want to see inflammatory or off-topic comments from ‘trolls,’ they’ll need to click to access a different ‘tier.’”

Sounds like a good approach to me. What do you think?

All you tweeters out there probably know that your Twitter homepage has sponsored definitions that link to Twitter-related services. Sometimes the names of these sponsors are rather clever, building a new, focused lexicon – or should we say twexicon?

In the spirit of the ever-growing World of Tweetisms, I’d like to suggest a few of my own:

• A twypo is an old-fashioned misspelling, not to be confused with a tword, which is missing vowels (as in “… bd mbrs shld arrive before 5 pm”).
• A twiggle is a tweet that makes you laugh, so of course a twad makes you sad – or is that mad?
• What’s a twudget? It’s the limit of 140 characters, as in “it’s extra hard to keep to your twudget in a retweet.”
• A twoops is when you hit “post” before you want to. I do that every now and then when I’m shortening a link via bit.ly. And I hate it.
• Tweet meat, my personal favorite, is something meaningful and substantial to say via Twitter. Some people would say tweet meat is an oxymoron, and that there’s nothing to be gained by Twitter.

But I beg to differ. We now have another tool in our communications tool box. And while there’s a lot of babble and boring information filling the Twitter waves, this new social media tool gives us a chance to make new connections, access focused information, and instantly communicate with those who choose to follow us.

Plus, we are in total control of whom we follow and who we allow to follow us. So if you don’t want to engage, or if you simply don’t care – then it’s probably time to twign-off. For the rest of you, I’ll see you on Twitter.

Have your own favorite Twitter words? Share them here or @borshoff.

- Follow @Susan_Matthews if you’re interested in just a few tweets a day, generally relating to branding and communications.