Episode 68

The Art of Communicating Bad News in Government or Public Sector

Climate action, the cost-of-living crisis, food security, war, the great resignation, a looming recession, pandemics, divisive national politics - whatever your bad news, you’ve no choice but to communicate it. 

But how well you do it will be the difference between a sustained public backlash or general public buy-in. 

With the citizen expecting timely truths and demanding transparency in decision-making, the question I’m posing in this episode is, ‘are you a competent digital storyteller and a responsible guardian of the public interest?’ 

Bad news sucks. But bad news spreads faster than anything else online, and even if you’re not the author, you’ll have to at some stage take up your position as protagonist.

So, what’s it going to be? 

Bury bad news? 

OR

Build trust with openness? 

Coming up in the show:

  • Why the authentic voice of your organisation will win public trust
  • Facing up to going front of screen in the age of transparency 
  • I speak to Jim McNamara who’s says that fail to listen, prepare to fail when it comes to government and public sector communications

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Don’t forget to get in touch with your questions. I love hearing from my listeners, don’t be a social media stranger. Tweet me at: @JSTweetsDigital

If you would like to be a guest on the show, please get in touch. Email Joanne at info@publicsectormarketingpros.com. 

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The Public Sector Marketing Show is a weekly podcast dedicated to digital marketing and social media insights for government and public sector pros hosted by Joanne Sweeney, founder of the Public Sector Marketing Institute.

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Public Sector Marketing Show
Hosted by Joanne Sweeney

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About your host

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Joanne Sweeney

Joanne Sweeney is a two-time author, founder of the Public Sector Marketing Institute and host of Ireland’s only Public Sector Digital Marketing Summit.

Specialising in digital communications for government agencies, Joanne's books are used by police forces, universities and public sector bodies across the world to instruct them how to communicate in the Digital Age.

Her latest book Public Sector Marketing Pro was named in the best new PR Books of 2020 by Book Authority and was a finalist in the 2002 British Book Awards for Best International Business Book.

She has also developed her own suite of online certified training programmes.

Joanne is also a trainer and consultant and works directly with government agencies across the world. Most recently with national and local Government in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. She is the preferred social media trainer for the EPP Group in the European Parliament who have 181 MEPs from across 27 member states. She is also a trainer for Google.
Joanne is also a podcaster and vlogger and host of the Public Sector Marketing Show.

Find out more at www.publicsectormarketingpros.com.