When the Best Thing Becomes the Worst Thing: Preparing for the Unexpected in PR and Marketing
Sometimes, the very thing you hope for—the packed event, the viral launch, the flood of customers—can become your biggest challenge.
This past weekend was the perfect real-world reminder. Our local fairground was hosting an Easter Carnival. Honestly? Judging by the flyer (which looked straight out of 2007 Microsoft Word), we weren’t expecting much. A few rides, a petting zoo, maybe a photo with the Easter Bunny.
What we found was something no one could have prepared for:
Traffic backed up for miles just trying to get in
Long lines snaking through the parking lots with no shade
No one checking tickets—just a crush of people trying to get inside
No real bathrooms, nowhere to escape the sun
People literally parking on the highway because the grounds were so full
On one hand, it’s every event organizer’s dream—wild demand! A huge turnout! On the other hand, because they weren’t prepared, the conversation in Facebook groups local media is now all about how chaotic it was—and how they wouldn't go back.
It got me thinking: In PR and marketing, how do you prepare for both outcomes?
How do you get ready for the best case and protect yourself from the worst?
Here's what we tell clients—and what this Easter Carnival reinforced:
Always hope for the best—but plan for success.
It’s easy to plan for a small turnout. It’s harder (but so much more important) to ask: what if this works? If you can't handle the success you’re chasing, you could lose brand trust in the process.
Look for the pressure points.
It’s easy to get caught worrying about the worst-case scenario. But what if the best-case happened? Where would you crack if demand doubled or tripled overnight? (Parking, staffing, ticketing, customer service?)
This is an audit every brand and business should be doing regularly. Tighten your systems now—before you need them—so you don't miss out on a big opportunity because the backend couldn’t keep up. Even if you don’t think you’ll need it, having the infrastructure ready gives you the confidence to chase bigger moments without hesitation.
As unicorn founder Suneera Madhani shared on a recent Inc. podcast (highly recommend giving it a listen here), even billion-dollar businesses start with messy, real-world moments.
Before her company, Stax, was valued at over $1 billion and she led a successful exit, Madhani experienced exactly what happens when demand outpaces preparation. Here’s how she described it:
"You think you're ready until the orders start flying in, and then you're just trying to keep up. In the early days, we were literally handwriting orders on post-it notes, trying to make sure nothing got missed. It was chaos—but the kind you dream about… Success doesn't just test your business model; it tests your systems, your patience, your ability to adapt in real time. Growth exposes everything you didn't know you weren't ready for.
There's no such thing as a perfect roadmap. You can plan all you want, but real growth happens when you're willing to iterate, pivot, and stay flexible… Success usually looks nothing like the original plan—you have to be ready to move fast without losing focus."
Rapid growth doesn’t just test your idea—it tests your systems, your patience, and your ability to adapt in real time.
Being ready to pivot looks like:
Having flexible staffing models (can you bring in extra hands if needed?)
Setting up a content or campaign pipeline you can accelerate if things take off
Knowing your essentials—and what can be streamlined if you need to move faster
Treating agility as a strength, not a sign of failure
The brands that last aren’t the ones with the perfect plan. They’re the ones ready to meet the moment—whatever that moment looks like.
PR = Public Relations (Especially When Things Go Wrong)
What went wrong at the fairground wasn’t just the crowds or the parking chaos. It was the lack of communication once things started to spiral.
Instead of actively managing the situation, the organizers went quiet.
On social media, all they posted was: “Avoid the area, the event is at capacity.”
No real context. No apology. No plan.
It wasn’t until media interviews much later that they shared they’d been up all night processing refunds—by then, the damage was already done.
And that’s the thing: if you're not shaping the story in real time, the crowd will do it for you.
This is where “PR” becomes really literal—public relations.
In a moment of crisis, silence isn’t neutral. It feels like abandonment.
Crisis communication basics:
Move fast, even if you don’t have every detail yet
Prioritize safety messaging immediately (but provide context quickly too)
Be transparent: what went wrong, what you’re doing about it, and what people should expect next
Show empathy—acknowledge the inconvenience or disappointment
Stay present: communicate during the crisis and after it
In moments like these, the goal isn’t perfection—it’s presence.
People are far more forgiving when they feel informed, respected, and heard.
Budget emotionally, not just financially.
Prepare for the emotional swings too. Sometimes no one shows up. Sometimes too many show up. Being mentally ready for either outcome will help you move faster, adjust, and recover if needed.
Debrief—and do it honestly.
If you have a runaway success or a complete flop (or both at the same time), set up a no-ego debrief. What worked? What broke? What could you have flagged earlier? What needs to change next time, and what do you need to clearly communicate to your customers or audience?
The Bottom Line: You can’t predict everything. But you can build for resilience.
Winning in PR and marketing isn’t just about chasing the big moment.
It’s about preparing for what happens after the big moment—whether that’s unexpected success or an unexpected crisis.
Audit your systems regularly—not just for failure points, but for success pressure points.
Build communication plans for both best- and worst-case scenarios.
Stay present when things don’t go perfectly; the second conversation is what people remember.
Treat flexibility as a core strength, not a backup plan.
When you approach growth with this mindset, you’re not just setting yourself up for the win.
You’re setting yourself up to survive it—and turn it into lasting brand equity.
