{"id":3148,"date":"2014-07-09T13:16:33","date_gmt":"2014-07-09T20:16:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/?p=3148"},"modified":"2014-07-14T12:08:30","modified_gmt":"2014-07-14T19:08:30","slug":"spin-sucks-public-sector-communication-strategies-digital-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/gov-talk\/about-gov\/public-sector-trends\/spin-sucks-public-sector-communication-strategies-digital-age\/","title":{"rendered":"Spin Sucks: Public Sector Communication Strategies in the Digital Age"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Antique<\/a>Public relations for state and local governments has many parallels to its private sector counterpart. By definition, PR is a strategic communication process that \u201cbuilds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.\u201d (Public Relations Society of America, 2012<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most significant common thread over the past decade is that the digital world has changed the way government officials (like corporate executives) communicate with constituents (customers).<\/p>\n

And the PR world is on the brink of another breakthrough, as Gini Dietrich discusses in her recently published book entitled Spin Sucks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt used to be you\u2019d hire a communications professional to help with messaging or media training or publicity or reputation management or – heaven forbid – a crisis,\u201d says Dietrich. \u201cToday, the entire industry has been flipped on its head. No longer do the controlled messages and interviews work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Building an effective communication strategy that educates, engages, and remains ethical will position an organization for long-term success. Although some government officials may think in short-term blocks (particularly around election time), one of the central themes of Spin Sucks is that the process is a marathon, not a sprint.<\/p>\n

Another integral message of the book is that citizens (customers) now control your brand. \u201cAll it takes is for one person to have a bad experience doing business with you, and you\u2019re finished \u2013 both online and off.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because we are all human, we all carry the potential to make mistakes. Some bigger than others. Toronto Mayor Rob Ford may be an extreme example of a public sector PR nightmare, but smaller-scale issues make headlines, too \u2013 practically every day. In Orland Park, Illinois two public employees out on paid medical leave were found working the local wrestling circuit. Ooops. In Millcreek, Pennsylvania, angry senior citizens recently spoke out against township supervisors opting to end a contract with the agency running the local senior center. Uh-oh. In North Carolina, protesters are voicing disapproval to state legislators about the proposed coal ash bill, asserting that the bill endangers environmental and public health. Hmmmm.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe terms issue<\/em> and crisis<\/em> are often used interchangeably, but they\u2019re not the same,\u201d says Dietrich. While there are some similarities \u2013 both can be damaging, both can originate internally or externally, and both must be managed \u2013 people rarely hear about the former in the private sector. In the public arena, people tend to be far more vocal when it comes to issues<\/em>, and they can be downright brutal if an issue reaches crisis<\/em> levels.<\/p>\n

For that reason, Dietrich devotes an entire chapter to Crisis Communications. In it, she provides several tips to manage an issue so that it doesn\u2019t become a crisis. For starters, \u201cmanaging an issue requires communication \u2026 which should be strategic, thoughtful and targeted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Getting out in front of an issue \u2013 making sure that you\u2019re the one who tells the story first \u2013 is also critical. \u201cWhen you tell your story, you have the best opportunity to stay in front of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spin Sucks<\/em> includes a list of tips for managing an issue, including:<\/p>\n