429: Melissa Agnes- Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World

In today’s world companies have to be transparent - whether they like it or not. If you try to hide things, consumers will find it and use any avenue they can to exploit it. Most recently you’ve seen this from Facebook and Uber. Luckily, there’s a lot you can do to protect yourself. The first thing you need to understand is that every business will face a crisis at some point.

Sometimes it’s because of an employee, sometimes it’s because of a claim that is simply not true (of which I discuss my experience in this episode.) Knowing this ahead of time means that you can take a proactive step through crisis preparedness. By having all of your ducks in a row, you can be ready for anything to come along. Know that pleading the 5th amendment doesn’t cut it anymore. Consumers will take action and a moral stance. That’s why you need to make sure you have a crisis manager on your team - and be aware that a PR person is not a crisis manager.

To go into how you can protect yourself, I brought in an expert to help my Creative Warriors: Melissa Agnes. Melissa Agnes is a leading authority on crisis preparedness, reputation management, and brand protection. She is a coveted speaker, commentator, and advisor to some of today's leading organizations faced with the greatest risks.

As a strategic advisor and keynote speaker, Melissa Agnes has worked with NATO, Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense, financial firms, technology companies, healthcare organizations, cities and municipalities, law enforcement agencies, global non-profits, and many others, helping them understand risk and build invincible brands that can withstand even the most devastating of events.

In 2015, she gave a TEDx talk in Los Angeles where she discussed the secret to successful crisis management in the 21st century. She is the editor of the Crisis Ready Blog, a contributor to Forbes, and a go-to source for the press, with recent coverage including the Wall Street Journal, VIBE Magazine, USA Today, and many others. As a university guest lecturer, Agnes teaches crisis management in university courses around the world, including at NYU and McGill.

Download this episode now to learn how you can start protecting yourself from a crisis today.

WARRIOR OF INNER STRENGTH

“Issues create opportunities.” -Melissa Agnes

Highlights - Good things can come from a crisis. A PR person is not the same as a crisis manager. Try not to hire someone when you are emotional. Facebook is a great example of not being crisis ready. Consumers are taking a moral stance today. You have an opportunity to show up to the world more aligned with your values than corporations. Communication is essential when dealing with a crisis. You can’t trump emotions with logic. Being crisis ready will give you peace of mind.

Guest Contact -

Melissa’s Website Melissa’s Twitter Melissa’s Book Melissa’s Free Gift! Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative Warriors to help you get clear on the ways you need to think differently to get the results you want. We've been handed a whole bunch of malarky about who we are and how business works that simply doesn't work for us. It's time to set it straight! This tool will give you the insights you need to think your way to success as a Creative Warrior and keep you on track. Check out the Creative Warriors RESOURCE page! A collection of the best companies, hand-selected, to help you succeed! You'll find vendors, services, products, and programs to help you Create, Serve, and Be Prosperous! All these companies have been used and approved by Jeffrey and most are used every day in his business. Music by Jawn