5 Tips for Dealing With a Public Relations Disaster
All companies have to deal with a public relations disaster at one time or another. It could be down to a misjudged tweet taken out of context, a complaint from a disgruntled former employee, or even an industry-wide scandal in which your organization has been caught up.
It doesn’t matter whether you are a global finance organization, a retail outlet, or a fire damage restoration service - you need to act quickly in order to deal with the fallout before it spirals out of control. In the social media age, information and opinion can spread quickly, so you need to be there to fight the flames. If not, you risk damaging your brand’s reputation and ultimately losing business later down the line.
But what can you do to mitigate the problem? Here are five tips for dealing with a public relations disaster.
Prediction and prevention
It goes without saying that the best way to reduce the impact of bad publicity is to avoid it altogether. Any business should take regular risk assessments to analyze any possible PR disaster that might befall them and how to avoid it. Many instances of negative press are down to employees who feel they have been treated wrongly, so it’s crucial to keep your staff happy and healthy. Make sure you are following the letter of the law and all relevant business regulations and you will be less likely to fall under scrutiny.
Respond quickly
As soon as the story breaks, people will be waiting for your organization to make a statement and address the issue. In this day and age, when news goes viral in a matter of minutes, brands don’t have the luxury of taking days to craft a carefully-worded announcement. You need to be prepared to go public as soon as possible. This may take the form of a written statement on social media, or even a televised broadcast. You need to pick the right spokesperson from your team and deal with the issue confidently but calmly.
Brief your team
The bigger your organization, the easier it will be for stories and gossip to spread like wildfire. Make sure you coordinate your team so that everyone is informed and on the same page. Brief your staff on the information they should and shouldn't share with others and try to limit public statements to a single chosen spokesperson.
Hire a PR team
When it all hits the fan, you need the right people on board to guide you through. A public relations team with a wealth of experience in crisis management can be a lifeline in such a scenario. They will be able to help you craft perfect statements, answer difficult questions, and get your business back on track. Although such an outfit can be costly, the benefits to your reputation will make them well worth the expense
Stay calm
Perhaps the most important piece of advice is to stay calm. You are in a stressful situation and any impulsive comments could be taken out of context. Prepare any statements in advance and try not to let anxiety get to you.
