Today’s world operates in real-time in the realm of social media, and everyone is watching and forming opinions. Reputation management is more important than ever and control over it can be lost in the blink of an eye. Here are some tips to help you successfully manage a Public Relation Crisis.
Anticipate Crises
Be proactive and prepare for potential crisis can save you a lot of hardship. You may realize some situations can be or could have been easily prevented by changing an existing method of your operation. You can begin to think of possible responses for the best and worst-case scenarios, because it is better to do it now rather than under the pressure of a real crisis.
Prepare to Take Responsibility
Rather or not you are facing a crisis, honesty is the best policy. Just like when you are achieving greatness, and you take responsibility, do the same in a crisis. Many times, people think they can “spinning” a story or flat out lying is the safest and easiest route; however, that is extremely untrue because the truth will find its way out.
Be Ready for Social Media
One of the worst things companies can do is ignore the chatter happening on social media. Smaller organizations are more likely to do this opposed to larger organizations. This is especially true for companies who are not active on social media to begin with. However, just because you or your business is not on social media does not mean your customers aren’t active on social. Monitor social media and be prepared to respond properly to comments.
Carefully Craft a Response Message
It is extremely important to gather all the information on the situation. You need to separate the facts from the story. You should respond almost immediately. The message needs to be thoughtful and sincere. Do not issue a vague message, the people need to be able to relate and feel informed by you.
Appoint a Response Team
Managing a crisis while continuing to run a business is extremely difficult and can add a lot of pressure. If you designate a team to handle the situation it will provide you with much needed relief. DENOR Brands and Public Relations can provide the expertise needed to manage any crisis successfully.
