Many night club management owners and operators know that violence and bad public relations can be a death knell and fast end to a successful bar and entertainment venue. Getting a reputation that your club is unsafe or that the management is not sensitive and forthright will quickly snow ball into customers going elsewhere, not to mention a few lawsuits along the way. Having a good public relations program in place along with your crisis plan, especially when situations get ugly, will add to improving a nightclub’s tarnished image quickly. It is important to be ready and mitigate the bad press when unfortunate things happen, such as a shooting. According to this nightlife public-relations maven Steve Kasuba, public relations and night club management planning should include: “It’s important to assure the public that this situation is not the norm and all efforts are being executed to prevent anything similar from happening again.” “Responding quickly is also very key. If you don’t have a statement prepared, the press will only have details from outside sources.” “In today’s age of social media, you have a captive audience interested in your message. This is a unique opportunity to speak with your clientele directly.” Hiring a nightclub security expert to develop a plan is also crucial to your PR program if you do not have the in-house expertise to create an effective one. More cities, such as Newark in New Jersey, are requiring bar and nightclub management to submit advance notice and a security plan for special events and parties. Does your night club management have a public relations program or outside PR expert to respond when unexpected circumstances arise? What can you share about these plans that will help other bar and club owners and managers in a similar situation?
Perry Group
Hotel & Restaurant Experts For The Hospitality Industry
