A Public Relations (PR) crisis can befall any business, big or small. It could be a product malfunction, a social media outrage, or a public relations faux pas. Whatever the cause, how a business manages a PR crisis can either make or break its reputation. But to manage a crisis well, one needs to be calm, strategic, and open. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to manage a PR crisis like a pro.
Act Swiftly and Determine the Situation
The initial action to take in PR crisis management is to move with speed. With the world being in an instant communication era, the more you delay, the greater the potential damage. Upon the occurrence of a crisis, evaluate the situation to establish its severity and the cause of the crisis. In case you need to, mobilize your crisis management team comprising PR experts, lawyers, and top executives to develop a response strategy.
Send a Clear and Honest Message
One of the key components in managing a crisis is to communicate honestly and openly with the public. Admit the issue, take blame where appropriate, and provide information on what your company will do to address the issue. The evasiveness or covering up will make things worse, but being open and honest establishes credibility with your stakeholders.
Ensure that your message is consistent on every platform, from social media to press releases and interviews. Making a concerted message guarantees that there are no conflicting signals that will create additional confusion or fuel further criticism.
Use the Right Platforms
During a crisis, your response needs to be given through the proper channels. Social media sites, like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, allow you to communicate with a wide audience in a short time. Make sure your response is not only posted on your company’s official channels but also keep track of other channels where the conversation may be occurring.
Your site should also have an official statement or press release, and where needed, a special page stating your crisis management. Don’t forget about hiring QuickPR.co to help facilitate any press releases that will be sent to the press, bloggers, and other media channels.
Provide Solutions and Be Accountable
A crisis communications opportunity for your business to demonstrate leadership and accountability. While it’s necessary to own up to the problem, it’s also vital to offer a solution. Whether recalling a faulty product, providing a refund, or issuing apologies to those impacted, ensure your response is active.
Taking responsibility for mistakes, when necessary, will help rebuild trust with your stakeholders. Offering solutions demonstrates your commitment to making things right and not just managing the damage.
Engage with the Media and Monitor Public Sentiment
The media can be your best friend during a PR crisis, but only if you tend to your relationships well. Be in constant contact with journalists and reporters so they’re getting the right information that they need. Having a good relationship with the media can stop the narrative in its tracks and keep misinformation at bay.
Also, keep a check on people’s sentiment via tools that track what people say online. Excellent PR tools to monitor social media and news outlets are provided by QuickPR.co, where you can measure the public response and modify your plan if necessary.
Learn and Adapt
After managing the crisis, sit down and assess your response and what was learned from it. What was done well? What could be done differently? Utilize the lessons learned from the crisis to improve your crisis communication plan and be more prepared for the future.
Taking the time to think and adjust your tactics will make your business stronger and more capable of handling any unexpected issues that could come up in the future.
Managing a PR crisis like a pro involves acting quickly, being open and honest in your communication, and being dedicated to fixing the problem. By stepping up, providing solutions, and employing the appropriate platforms to share your message, you can turn a would-be disaster into a chance to make your brand stronger and earn trust from your audience. With the proper tools, such as those provided on QuickPR.co, your business will be more ready to deal with whatever crisis hits it.
Don’t wait until the next crisis strikes—prepare today.