How to Adjust Your PR Strategy During a Crisis

January 2025 has felt like the longest month ever, probably because I'm here in Los Angeles. As you know, we've been seriously impacted by wildfires. Two entire communities were completely wiped out—just devastation beyond anything you could envision. Truly heartbreaking.

We finally had some much-needed rain this weekend. Outsiders might feel like there's no imminent danger anymore, so it’s okay to move on with pitching and business as usual. But it’s not business as usual.

A Personal Note of Gratitude

First and foremost, my heart goes out to everyone affected by these fires. I also want to personally thank everyone who reached out with messages, DMs, and emails checking in on me and my family. We are so lucky to be safe in Sherman Oaks, though the fires got uncomfortably close.

It’s been a lot—packing a go-bag, waiting to be evacuated, and experiencing a fire breaking out close to here in the middle of the night. We’re safe, but it has been terrifying. I know people who have personally lost everything. But in all this, there’s been hope—communities stepping up, firefighters showing their selfless heroism, and the generosity of complete strangers.

PR in the Midst of Tragedy

During times like this, we have to approach PR differently. Many of the editors, freelancers, and journalists we connect with are directly affected—some have even lost their homes.

So how do we navigate these moments with compassion and responsibility as communications professionals? How do we guide our clients who may also be personally impacted? There’s no single right way to approach this, but here are some best practices to help you make thoughtful decisions.

1. It Is Not Business as Usual

Tragedies deeply impact communities, and that includes the media professionals we work with. Many editors in this region—and in places like New York or other cities hit by natural disasters—are personally experiencing loss.

We've seen contacts on Substack reaching out to say, I lost everything. I can’t even process this. I can’t review your pitch right now. When someone acknowledges their devastation, and then receives a pitch right after, it feels insensitive and disrespectful.

Pause your normal PR strategies. Reassess whether your actions align with current circumstances. Ask yourself: Does this feel good? Is it the right thing to do?

2. Be Respectful and Aware

Before pitching, research who you’re reaching out to. Check their social media, Substack, or other platforms to see if they’ve shared anything about how they’ve been affected. If they have a personal connection to the tragedy, it's likely not the right time to pitch them.

Things to Avoid:

• Sending generic, scheduled pitches that feel detached from the current reality.
• Overlooking local recovery efforts in your outreach.

Instead, consider postponing launches or events in a thoughtful way. Encourage clients to support relief efforts and amplify causes that editors care about.

3. Lead with Genuine Compassion

Support affected individuals and communities in meaningful ways. This is an opportunity to guide clients on how to help—not for visibility or PR awareness, but because it’s the right thing to do.

For example, during a hurricane, a client immediately donated portable breast pumps without expecting publicity. They did this because their own community had been hit hard before. The way we approached this in PR was by focusing on preparedness tips—helping parents think ahead for emergencies, rather than directly promoting the product.

Encourage clients to give back in ways that align with their values, without expecting media coverage in return. If media attention happens naturally to raise awareness for a cause, great. But the focus should be on real, meaningful support.

4. Offer Tangible, Thoughtful Support

When reaching out to affected media contacts, avoid saying, Let me know if I can help. While well-intentioned, it's too vague. Instead, think through what they might need and offer something specific.

For example:

• If they lost everything, do they even have a toothbrush? Clean clothes? Basic essentials?
• If they’re an environmental journalist, could you introduce them to an expert who can provide insights on less toxic cleanup efforts?
• If they’re covering recovery efforts, do you have a client or expert who can share useful tips on rebuilding?

The key is to be genuinely helpful, without forcing anything on them.

5. Avoid Opportunistic Actions

Tragedies are not marketing opportunities. Don’t “newsjack” the disaster by forcing irrelevant seasonal content into the conversation just to stay in the media cycle.

Instead, focus on retooling your strategy. Personally connect with a few key contacts and offer real value, rather than mass-pitching stories that don’t align with the moment.

6. Communicate Thoughtfully

Decide on a policy for your agency’s outreach and ensure your team is aligned. If you’re pausing all pitching, let your contacts know.

Consider sending an email explaining:

• That your agency is pausing outreach out of respect for those affected.
• How your company is supporting recovery efforts.
• Any adjustments to campaign timelines, like postponing launches or rescheduling events.

7. Provide Personal Support

Building strong relationships means being human. If you know an editor who has lost everything, send them a care package—without waiting for them to ask. People struggling to rebuild often don’t know where to start, and offering specific help makes a difference.

If you have a personal relationship with a media contact who’s been affected, don’t just check in—offer tangible support, no strings attached.

These strategies will serve you not only now but in future crises. Tragedies, unfortunately, will continue to happen, and as PR professionals, we must lead with empathy, authenticity, and value.

To Recap...

1. Pause and reassess – Review all scheduled pitches and campaigns and wait for a more appropriate time.

2. Postpone or adjust launches/events – Ensure PR efforts align with the current reality.

3. Advise clients on meaningful contributions – Donations, in-kind support, and valuable resources.

4. Prioritize recovery and community – Share useful resources and stories that aid recovery.

5. Avoid opportunistic PR – If it feels icky, don’t do it.

6. Communicate your strategy – Keep your team and media contacts informed.

7. Offer real, tangible support – Help affected individuals in meaningful ways.

In times of crisis, our job is to pause business as usual and guide our clients to act with integrity. By prioritizing genuine support over opportunistic PR, we build stronger relationships and create real impact.

You got this. Adjust your strategy thoughtfully, communicate clearly with your clients, and lead with compassion.