The fog of war

This concerns an important phenomenon in crisis communication: the “fog of war”. Carl von Clausewitz described it in his book “On War”: you can only see what is happening immediately around you. Uncertainty makes the consequences of actions almost impossible to assess. PR professionals know this crisis communication phenomenon just as battlefield decision-makers do: many things happen simultaneously — social media posts, calls from journalists and a barrage of critical questions.

My guest article on crisis communication

In 2010, I worked at the PR agency Press’n’Relations in Ulm and have fond memories of my colleagues. So I particularly enjoyed writing a guest article for their P’n’R blog . In my article, I show how to apply Carl von Clausewitz’s insights from “On War” to managing online outrage, and how PR managers can prepare.

Three crisis management strategies

I therefore explain the three key tips in detail in the article:

Crises demand quick answers — know the way
Crises force decisions — know the goal
Crises leave no time to think — know yourself

Now, enjoy reading! My three key insights will help you stop feeling powerless in the fog. Trouble with the link? The article is available here as a PDF.)

Curious about more PR and social media tips?

1. Read how parties present themselves on Facebook and what we can learn from them 2. What matters in election campaigning on Snapchat matters. 3. How to use storytelling on Instagram during election campaigns to make an impact. 4. And what the recipe for election campaign success on Twitter is

Want professional storytelling and social media strategies?

Get my chapter “Success through storytelling” from the collection “Ideas for social media and online marketing” published by Gabal Verlag. I explain exactly what you need to consider. Or simply write to us for a tailored workshop or start-up consulting quote. Lilit is happy to help plan and implement an innovative social media strategy. So your messages get through!