Every company deals with forms of crises sooner or later. Whether it’s a faulty product that might need to be recalled or an event that fell through, you have to have a plan in place that addresses any and every iffy situation that comes up.
Having a solid crisis communications plan will make responding to an irate audience quicker and easier. Here are five tips for effective crisis communications in the digital age.
Part of having a responsive crisis communications team is being tuned into the front end of the company. Have your ear on the ground by monitoring content performance and comments on social media. As soon as something negative comes up, it’s best to respond to control the narrative.
When responding to crises, always do so where it comes up first. Spot some less-than-sweet comments on a newly-released product on Facebook? Respond to comments and release an official statement on Facebook first. Striking while the iron is hot can give your brand an advantage–if you don’t tell your story first, someone else might beat you to it.
That being said, it’s best not to rush releasing a statement, especially if emotions are still high. Always strive to be objective and take care not to look and sound overly defensive.
Related: Creating highly responsive and agile communications in crisis (commsroom.co)
The most effective crisis communicators think of all the what-ifs. It’s hard to predict every snafu that could occur, but it’s possible to plan for them. Brainstorm potential scenarios with your team and come up with plans for each one so when something does go belly-up, you’ll know what to say.
It’s also always best to be transparent. Share what you know to both your team and the public and do your best to regain trust with honesty. This will help you get a better grasp on the narrative, and even buy your brand more time.
Even before a crisis happens, it’s best to cultivate a relationship with your community. Leverage their support, and with strong engagement, your community could have your back. Reply to comments, make interactive posts, and engage in the people that help make your brand known.
Fostering a positive bond with your community will help remind people that you and your brand are trustworthy. Cashing in on this bond in the face of a crisis will strengthen your response and keep any loss to a minimum.
When it comes to crisis communications, apologies will be the cornerstone of your contingency plan. But contrary to popular belief, apologising takes more than just saying “We’re sorry.” A good apology has three key components:
Putting victims first will highlight your brand’s sincerity and willingness to bring solutions. No one wants to read an empty apology online, so empathy first!
No matter how much you plan for any crises, it will be hard to come up with a solution if the people on your team are saying different things. When one team member says “I don’t know the cause of the issue” while another says “We acknowledge the problem and are thinking of a solution,” your community might get the impression that there’s no internal communication going on.
To keep your side consistent across all departments, come up with a one-page document with your brand’s statement along with necessary details and let everyone know. That way, even employees that aren’t directly under the crisis communications team will know what to say in a cohesive manner.
Crisis communications can make or break your brand. Remember: in keeping a clean brand impression, prevention is always better than the cure, but it’s handy to have multiple cure options on hand.
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