Good grief! 3 crisis PR lessons from ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’

You might not realize it, but the holiday favorite provides some useful lessons for communicators on how to respond when disaster hits.

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Ever feel like ol’ Charlie Brown when it comes to client work?

Oh sure, no one’s actually going to pull a football away at the last minute, but problems do arise and mistakes unavoidably happen.

Luckily, “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” offers at least three lessons to keep in mind the next time catastrophe strikes—and I’m not talking about Gammy’s teeth somehow finding their way into the gravy boat. Included with the lessons are PR Daily stories that dive further into each point.

1. Communicate your message clearly

Wha-wha-wa-wa-wha-wa. Charlie Brown and friends may have understood their teachers, but the rest of the world didn’t. When you’re talking, make sure to cover the bases so that all of your audiences are notified efficiently and effectively.

• 9 audiences (that aren’t the media) to target during a crisis
• In terms of speaking, are you The Beach Boys or The Beatles?
• 9 practical tips for a spokesperson

2. Turn a negative into a positive

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