For marketers, knowing how to put out PR fires is as much an art as it is a skill. Considering the news of the SEC lawsuit filed against Elon MuskOpens a new window for misleading investors with dishonest public statements (and tweets), imagine the canvas that Tesla’s marketing and PR teams must currently be trying to paint.
Indeed, companies – especially B2C firms – must operate in an insanely hyper-connected world. These days, scandals, negative news and reputation issues can be picked up by national and international news agencies in a matter of hours, if not minutes – if not seconds.
Add social media into the mix and negative press can quickly and easily turn into a full-blown PR crisis once it captures public interest. And if a company’s response on these platforms strikes a discordant tone with the public, it’s more than just fanning the metaphorical flames – it’s dousing them with lighter fluid.
While an increasing number of tools are now available to marketersOpens a new window to help minimize and sometimes even prevent PR crises, some situations just can’t be predicted. For instance, how could Papa John’s marketing and PR teams be expected to have a game plan in place just in case their founder and chairman of the board resorts to racial slursOpens a new window ?
Admittedly, not too many of us will have to face either of these types of scenarios – we hope. But despite the unique nature of both events, the recent predicaments confronted by Papa John’s and Tesla highlight the reality that today’s marketers must be ready to act quickly and implement a PR crisis management strategy if and when their brand or company confronts bad press.
In the modern era of social media, where consumers are ever-connected, waiting too long to respond to a scandal can be detrimental.
Although most PR crises will require a customized response, there are various strategies and best practices that companies can follow in order to mitigate the fallout.
Preparation is key
The last thing a marketer should be doing during a crisis is coming up with a crisis management plan.
Crucially, PR and marketing teams should invest time in developing a plan that defines the standard operating procedures for such situations, covering every aspect of how to manage and respond to negative press. Having such a generic policy in place can be pivotal in responding to a crisis in a timely fashion while also avoiding confusion and tension within the company during a period of uncertainty and high levels of stress.
Keep in mind that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all action plan here. But having the framework in place that can then be tailored to the situation is crucial.
It will be important first to identify the potential types of crises your company could face. Once this has been achieved, it is then possible to match people to the roles and responsibilities they will have to cover in these scenarios; that is key to ensuring that team members have defined responsibilities and specific accountability.
After that, procedures can be shaped, support materials drafted and scenario simulations practiced.
From Harvey Weinstein to Les Moonves, imagine how a set of protocols related to sexual harassmentOpens a new window issues could help companies and organizations navigating related scandals.
Here are some of the key questions marketers should ask themselves when shaping a PR crisis management plan and policy:
- Who in the organization will serve as the liaison to the media and public?
- What is the chain of command and accountability? Who is in charge of crisis communications and who has final approval of all related decisions?
- What is the general guidance on what can and cannot be said?
- Who will communicate internal updates to the team – and to all others in the company?
- The firm’s social media should have its own set of protocols ready for activation if required, including: Who is allowed to speak for the company on its profiles? What is the tone used in posts and responses? Who are potential influencers and thought leaders who can help brand image by pushing positive news and refuting negative PR?
Don’t think of it as expecting the unexpected. Rather, it’s more like planning for it – just in case.
In our next story in this series, consider how to handle the PR crisis once it’s hit.
Read the second part: What If Elon Musk Were Your CEO? How Marketers Can Handle Bad Press (Part II)Opens a new window .