Effective PR isn’t just about building reputations, it’s also about knowing how to effectively restore them when they’ve taken a hit. So what does a good crisis management strategy look like?
Identify the risks
When it comes to being prepared for a crisis, it’s important to identify the risk factors that might lead to a crisis long before one ever happens.
Your risk factors will vary from business to business, but they may include things like faulty products, cyber attacks or workplace accidents.
Knowing what could go wrong allows you to prepare statements and action plans ahead of the need arising, meaning you can act quickly.
Figure out an action plan
As well as identifying the risks, you should also figure out early on what will happen when something does go wrong. Who will be the key people in your organisation addressing the situation? Do you have a spokesperson, or somebody to liaise with the press? Do you have legal advisors on hand?
It’s easy to miss steps when acting quickly in a high stakes situation, so it’s important to have these things mapped out long before you’re under pressure.
Keep on top of media training
Whoever your spokesperson may be, it’s wise to consider getting them media training to ensure strong, consistent messaging. We know this is important when you’re focused on building reputations, but it’s just as vital when trying to restore them again.
Your spokesperson may be asked to take part in television or radio interviews, or be asked for quotes as part of press releases. They should know how to remain calm and respond in a professional, consistent way, even in high pressure situations. Having them take part in media training – and upkeep this training regularly if needed – is crucial to delivering the right crisis comms.
Know who’s in charge of direct media liaison
When things go wrong, the media tends to report quickly – often with a ‘break the news now, ask questions later’ mentality. In order to control the messaging, you should have somebody who can liaise directly with journalists.
That person may need to draft holding statements and press releases. They may need to organise press conferences with, or get quotes from, the organisation’s spokesperson. All of this needs to be managed quickly and effectively, to ensure the right message goes out ahead of the tight deadlines you will have to meet.
Monitor digital spaces
In our digital age, news is prone to spreading quickly. Not only do social media algorithms share negative stories far and wide due to the boost in user engagement, but media outlets sharing click-bait style headlines often leave social media users with just half a story and plenty of misinformation.
It’s vital to monitor social media in a time of crisis to help you to assess the damage, which may help inform how you handle restoring your reputation. It can also be beneficial to have a social media spokesperson. Similar to your press spokesperson, the digital equivalent can wade into spaces where there is negativity online and help to change the messaging or answer questions.
Although many of the people in your business may have access to social media, it’s important that you don’t give this job to just anybody when a crisis comes along. Just like your official spokesperson, the employee monitoring your digital reputation should have training to be able to deliver consistent messaging.
Each crisis situation is unique and will require unique handling. Being prepared will allow you to respond quickly and effectively. A delayed response to any crisis situation is always perceived as a negative so being prepared is key.
Use a PR agency to develop your crisis management strategy
At Fibre PR, we understand how to build media and customer relationships, and by extension we can also protect you when those relationships are under threat.
Get in touch to discuss how we can develop your crisis management strategy so that you’re protected should the worst happen.
