A PR crisis can do untold damage to a business unless timely action is taken. Whether a product recall, a social media faux-pas, or a data breach, the way a company reacts to a crisis is key to its survival.
What is crisis management?
Crisis management is about protecting your business’s reputation when there is some sort of emergency that plays out in public. The recent cyberattack on M&S showed just how important it is to get your messaging right. The key to crisis communication is regular and open communication, which industry analysts believe M&S did well. It is all about minimising reputational damage and maintaining trust in your brand with stakeholders.
Crisis management plans
Many large firms have a crisis management plan that sets out clear roles and responsibilities, pre-approved messaging, and the communication channels that will be used. Social media now plays a major role, and companies may want to use a specialist agency to set out their plans. If you are looking for a tech PR agency Reading, experts such as //headonpr.co.uk/tech-pr-agency-near-me/reading/ can advise.
Four key steps
- Draft your statement
Be specific and clear, show genuine empathy, and outline what actions you will take and when. The tone should match the severity of the crisis, and you should accept responsibility for the crisis.
- Crisis updates
Once your statement is ready, it needs to be strategically communicated across multiple channels. If the crisis occurred on a social media platform, start with the same one, as this is where most of your audience will go to see a response. It is a good idea to pin the statement and closely monitor comments. It should also be on your website, emailed, and put out to traditional media.
- Listen
It is important to evaluate the response to your statement and how the message is being received. If it looks like sentiment is getting worse, update your messaging.
- Follow-up with action
The response to any crisis should include concrete actions to address the problem. Create a timeline and stick to it.
