What happens during the first call with a crisis PR consultant?

If you are considering calling a crisis PR consultant, you may have spent quite a while trying to decide whether your situation is serious enough. Perhaps you have written an email, deleted it, rewritten it more calmly and then worried that the calmer version makes it sound as though you do not need help. You may also be wondering what, exactly, you are supposed to say to a stranger about something you would quite happily never discuss again.

The first conversation is there to establish what is happening, whether anything needs immediate attention and what sort of help would be useful. With me, that introductory call is free. You do not need a presentation, a finished timeline or a convincing argument that you deserve support. A brief explanation and any pressing deadline give us somewhere to start. More detailed work is agreed separately if it is needed.

It is reasonable to be unsure whether the problem is a crisis. That uncertainty is often the reason to speak to someone. You might be facing a genuine reputational threat, a manageable complaint or a frightening amount of attention that has not reached the people you are most worried about. We need to understand which situation we are dealing with before deciding what to do about it.

What to send before we speak

If a journalist has contacted you, send the original enquiry and the deadline, including the date and time zone where relevant. If something has been published, a link is useful. If the concern involves a message or a social post, the surrounding context matters as much as the sentence that upset you. Explain briefly why you are concerned and whether you have already replied. That is enough to begin arranging a useful conversation.

You do not need to forward your entire inbox. A short outline of the main events is easier to work with than dozens of screenshots arriving without an explanation. If there are many documents, start by saying what they contain. We can identify what is relevant and agree how to share it, especially if it includes confidential business information or details about other people. Leave unnecessary personal information out of the first message.

If you have already drafted a response, save it and say that it exists. It can help show what you want to communicate, even if it is not ready to send. There is no need to tidy it into something impressive before asking for help. Equally, if the draft is currently an extremely angry note written at midnight, perhaps keep it in drafts until we have had a chance to look at it.

What will I ask you?

I will want to understand what prompted you to get in touch today. Has something changed, or has a situation that was manageable become harder to contain? Who already knows about it? Are journalists asking questions? Have customers, colleagues or business partners contacted you? Are there deadlines, planned announcements or other events that could affect the timing? These questions help separate the immediate decisions from the background we can work through more slowly.

We will also distinguish what happened from what is being said about it. You might know that a meeting took place but dispute the account of what was said. You might have a document that supports your position, or you may be relying on somebody else’s recollection. It is fine to say you do not know something. Giving an uncertain detail a confident answer now can create unnecessary work later.

I need to understand what you are worried about losing or damaging. A public figure may be concerned about a forthcoming interview. A business owner may be worried about staff or customer trust. Somebody else may be thinking about what appears when a future employer searches their name. Those concerns can overlap, but they do not always call for the same response. Tell me what is weighing on you, even if you are not sure it belongs in a PR conversation.

There may be a part of the story you would prefer to leave until later. I understand that. It is still helpful to say that something sensitive needs discussing, particularly if it could change the advice. A plan built around an incomplete account can fall apart when an omitted email or earlier response appears. You do not need to make yourself sound blameless. We need a version we can make sensible decisions from.

What if I am upset or cannot explain it properly?

You do not need to sound composed. The conversation can be practical even if you are upset, frustrated or jumping between different parts of the story. We can establish the immediate concern first and return to the details. If written notes help, have them nearby. If you need a colleague or adviser involved, explain their role so we know who is participating and what each person can contribute.

If you are calling for a business, it can help to include somebody who understands the facts and someone who can approve decisions. Sometimes that is the same person. An enormous introductory meeting is rarely necessary, but knowing who has authority avoids confusion later. We should also establish whether an existing communications team, agent or publicist is involved, so any support fits around the people already doing useful work.

Your wellbeing matters, and I can help reduce the practical burden of handling communications. I cannot provide therapy or medical care. If the situation is affecting you beyond the PR problem, it is reasonable to seek qualified support alongside communications advice. You do not have to wait until one part of the situation is resolved before getting help with another, and you do not need to apologise for finding it difficult.

Is a crisis PR consultation confidential?

Discretion is central to this work. If you would prefer an NDA before discussing sensitive details, tell me when you enquire so that we can arrange it before the substantive conversation. You can initially describe the broad type of issue without emailing the full account. That gives us a way to organise contact while you decide what you are comfortable sharing and what needs a more careful setting.

An NDA should not be confused with legal privilege, and a PR conversation is not automatically protected in the same way as advice from your solicitor. Where there are legal proceedings, an investigation or a sensitive disclosure, involve your lawyer in deciding how information should be handled. I can work alongside them on the communications. There is no benefit in making you repeat something widely when the relevant advisers can first agree a sensible approach.

It is also worth thinking about who you copy into emails and where you discuss the situation. Someone might be a supportive friend without needing the documents or every subsequent update. Keep the working group appropriate to the issue, and make sure colleagues understand any confidentiality arrangements. You can still have personal support around you while being careful about the circulation of sensitive material.

What happens after the introductory call?

Once I understand enough of the situation, we can discuss a proportionate next step. That might be a focused advisory session, practical support with communications or ongoing crisis PR. Sometimes another professional needs to be involved first. Sometimes there is no useful reason to start paid PR work. The recommendation should relate to what is happening, rather than assume that every worried person needs the same package.

The free introductory conversation is different from my £500 one-hour advisory session. That is a booked service with research beforehand and written recommendations afterwards. It can suit someone with a defined question who wants considered advice and can handle the implementation themselves. An introductory call establishes the situation and fit; it does not automatically include a researched communications plan, rewritten materials or ongoing access.

If you need continuing help, the proposed work should explain what I will take on and what remains with you or your team. That could include drafting statements, handling journalist enquiries, preparing customer emails, supporting staff communications or helping you get ready for difficult questions. We agree the scope and fee before paid work begins. You should know what you are authorising, including how any additional work will be discussed.

Before ending a conversation about an urgent situation, make sure you understand the immediate next step. Who is replying to the journalist? Is someone checking the facts? Are you waiting for a proposal, legal advice or further information? If you have not formally engaged anyone, do not assume they are already monitoring coverage or handling the deadline. A clear handover matters even when the next action is simply agreeing when we will speak again.

You can get in touch with a few lines about what has happened and when you need help. If you are still unsure what to call the situation, describe it as you would to someone you trust. There is no special vocabulary you need before asking for crisis PR support. We can work out the relevant questions together, including whether the problem is as big as it currently feels and what would make the next few days easier to manage.

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