Dan Janal

Dan Janal
Publicity Futurist and Speaker

Whenever there’s a crisis, it seems that every PR person jumps up and down to criticize or comment on how bad a job a PR firm or PR department is doing.

It seems that everyone has a easy solution to help Target or Governor Christie.

Second-guessing is the true, Great American Sport. We’re a nation of Monday morning quarterbacks. We are all very quick to criticize the efforts of others.

While it might seem a breeze to fix a crisis from the sidelines, I have to let you know that when you are in the midst of the fray, it isn’t such an easy task.

I don’t do crisis communications and I’ll tell you why.

A few years ago, I was speaking at a PR conference. Before the talk, I had lunch with a fellow speaker who was a crisis communications PR specialist. He had done work with some of the biggest names you can imagine. His clients were on the front page of the newspapers and the lead stories on TV many, many times.

It seemed so exciting.

He told me of times when he and his team slept on cots in conference rooms because their clients could call them at any minute to announce a settlement, or seek advice.

As people do, we asked about each others’ backgrounds.

It turns out he and I both went to the same journalism school – Northwestern. Since he was gray haired and heavily wrinkled, I figured he attended years before me. When I asked when he graduated, I was surprised to learn he was actually two years younger than I was.

We were both in our 30s and he looked he was in his 70s.

So, to all you PR Monday morning quarterbacks, think twice about the advice you dispense in your blogs and blurbs.

It’s not as easy as it looks.

The same could be said for coaches and consultants. When you hire one, make sure they have the right experience that can help you get to the next level. There are too many people out there who are a baby step ahead of their clients, dispensing advice that is more likely to do harm than to help.

If you are open to a conversation to see if my coaching can help you build your entrepreneurial empire so you lead life of financial freedom and balance, email me and I’ll send you details.