When you organization faces a crisis, your crisis management team must stay ahead of the narrative to protect the brand from future damage and ensure that it continues to serve its customers, staff and other stakeholders in the best way possible. Start with these seven Golden Rules:
1. Take responsibility
First off, don’t try to cover up the PR crisis, it will only worsen the damage. Instead, manage the situation by taking responsibility, reacting immediately, and responding to feedback. Instead of arguing publicly, acknowledge people’s concerns and questions and respond to the right conversations. Write a press release and post on social media to control the situation and get the message visible.
2. Remember to be human
Saying “you’ll look into it” doesn’t make anyone feel better. It’s important to state that you’re deeply saddened by what occurred and have actioned a plan to work on making things better in the future. Then, immediately share how these policies will be put in place so the situation doesn’t happen again. Act quickly before people lose faith in your brand, and what it stands for.
3. First apologize, then take action
Extending a heartfelt apology is key to moving forward. Not doing so adds fuel to the fire and delays changing the narrative in a positive way. Following a public apology, the company must offer a call to action. They must do something substantial to show that they are changing their ways moving forward.
4. Monitor, Plan, and Communicate
Have your social team on high alert, with monitoring at the forefront. If they start noticing spikes of negativity or increased activity, utilize an already well-versed crisis plan to proactively respond on social with prepared communication materials. Never let executives go rogue and potentially fuel the flames, but do encourage them to apologize immediately with predetermined and approved key messages.
5. Avoid “No Comment”
Communicate all relevant details to key stakeholders. When asked to comment never reply with “no comment.” Even if you’re still assessing a situation, simply say that. If you don’t have a voice in the matter, people immediately assume guilt or make their own suppositions. Also, recognise when operational improvements are necessary and be transparent about how you’re solving the situation.
6. Avoid Knee-Jerk reactions
It’s too easy to be reactive, especially when your company’s brand and reputation are at stake. Don’t comment, post or tweet before you’ve conferred with your PR team on what the best, most reasoned approach will be. If you have a great team (and you should!), they will be on top of this and will have crafted language you can use immediately.
7. Preparation is key
No one wants to be at the centre of a scandal, but scambling around because you’re not prepared to handle it, takes things from bad to worse. Anticipate potential crisis scenarios and establish internal protocols for handling them. Before a crisis hits, outline who needs to be notified, your internal review process, and the individuals who are wuthorized to speak publicly on the company’s behalf.
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