Nowadays, a crisis can erupt in a matter of minutes, and its effects can be felt for years. Therefore, you need to be prepared, have a plan and know how to act quickly and effectively. Let’s discuss it step by step, without unnecessary jargon, but with concrete examples and practical tips.
1. identify potential risks
It is impossible to predict every crisis, but you can prepare for the most common scenarios.
- Typical sources of crises:
- Product errors: E.g., a product defect that jeopardizes the safety of customers.
- Brand controversy: E.g., inappropriate behavior by CEO or employees.
- Fake news: E.g., false information spread on social media.
- Hacking attacks: E.g., leakage of customer data.
- Example: KFC faced a crisis in 2018 when it ran out of chicken in its UK restaurants. The company quickly responded with a humorous “FCK” campaign that eased the situation.
2. create a crisis team
A crisis doesn’t wait, so you have to have a ready-made team that knows what to do.
- Who should be in the team:
- PR: The person responsible for communicating with the media.
- Social Media Manager: Someone to monitor and respond on social media.
- Legal: A lawyer to assess legal risks.
- CEO or board representative: Someone who can make quick decisions.
- Example: Starbucks has a dedicated crisis team that responds to situations such as racial incidents in coffee shops.
3. prepare communication templates
In a crisis, there is no time to come up with messages from scratch. Prepare templates in advance that can be quickly adapted.
- Sample templates:
- Apology: “We are deeply sorry for the situation. We are working on a solution.”
- Information about the problem: “We have identified the problem and are taking immediate action.”
- Update: “Here’s the latest on the situation…”
- Example: When United Airlines faced a crisis after a passenger was ejected from an airplane, their first response was inept. Only later did they issue a more empathetic statement.
Monitoring sentiment on social media
1. monitoring tools
In the age of social media, a crisis can erupt on Twitter, Facebook or TikTok. You need to know what’s going on before the situation gets out of hand.
- Monitoring tools:
- Brand24: Tracks brand mentions on social media and analyzes sentiment.
- Hootsuite: Allows you to monitor multiple social channels in one place.
- Mention: Tracks brand mentions in real time.
- Example: When Elon Musk wrote a controversial tweet about Tesla, the company used monitoring tools to track reactions and respond quickly.
2. sentiment analysis
It’s not just about knowing what they are saying about your brand, but also what emotions accompany those opinions.
- How to analyze sentiment:
- Positive: Customers praise your brand.
- Neutral: Comments are factual, without emotion.
- Negative: Customers criticize or express dissatisfaction.
- Example: When Pepsi released a controversial ad featuring Kendall Jenner, sentiment analysis tools showed a huge wave of negative reactions, forcing the company to withdraw the ad.
3. rapid response
In social media, response time is crucial. The faster you react, the better chance you have of controlling the situation.
- Rapid Response Principles:
- Be authentic: Don’t pretend that everything is fine.
- Be transparent: Tell what you know and what you don’t know.
- Be empathetic: Show that you understand your customers’ emotions.
- Example: When Domino’s Pizza faced a crisis after employees posted inappropriate videos online, the company quickly apologized and showed how it was improving procedures.
Rebuilding brand trust after a crisis
1. transparency and communication
After a crisis, the key is to show that the brand has learned its lesson and is working to ensure that the situation does not happen again.
- How to do it:
- Regular updates: Keep customers informed of progress in resolving the issue.
- Meet with the media: Hold press conferences to show how the brand is handling the crisis.
- Social media: use social channels to be closer to customers.
- Example: After the data leak crisis, Equifax regularly updated customers on steps taken to improve security.
2. corrective actions
Customers want to see that the brand not only talks, but also acts.
- Examples of corrective actions:
- Product improvement: if the crisis was about a product defect, make corrections.
- Training: If the crisis was about employee behavior, institute training.
- Loyalty programs: Offer compensation or bonuses to customers.
- Example: After the recall crisis, Johnson & Johnson introduced new safety standards and regularly updated customers on progress.
3. long-term reputation strategy
A crisis is not the end of the world, but it is necessary to work on rebuilding trust.
- How to do it:
- Educational campaigns: Show how the brand cares about customers and improves its standards.
- Collaborate with influencers: Engage trusted influencers to help rebuild your brand image.
- CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility): Show that the brand is committed to social responsibility.
- Example: After the emissions crisis, Volkswagen invested in campaigns to promote green solutions and electric cars.
Summary
Crisis PR and reputation management in the social media era is not just about putting out fires, but also about building procedures, monitoring sentiment and rebuilding trust. Quick response, authenticity and corrective action are key. Remember that a crisis is also an opportunity to show how a brand handles difficult situations.
