Handling Crisis PR in 2022

Whenever a crisis situation happens to a company, timing is crucial. Knowing what’s essential to contain a crisis can save a lot of time for businesses.

This knowledge can help contain any misinformation, as well as give an opportunity to direct the narrative in a way that’s most favorable to the company undergoing a crisis.

To navigate a crisis situation effectively, companies have to be prepared beforehand, so when it strikes, everyone already knows what they need to do to manage the situation. In today’s digital era, information travels instantaneously on social media.

Companies should be aware of the information that’s being shared about them in order to better handle any potential reputational damages from misinformation.

Media Training

It’s not easy knowing what to say during an interview, even during the best of times. However, knowing how to conduct an interview effectively during a crisis situation can be incredibly intimidating and stressful. 

The keys to success when it comes to dealing with journalists during a crisis are training and preparation.

These keys will help the company spokesperson boost their confidence and ensure the interview will help the business instead of harming it.

Media training can be incredibly helpful for company spokespeople, helping them communicate more effectively, and anticipate various questions. It’s also helpful in understanding how to shape the narrative so that their business can share its own point of view of the situation in the right way.

Communication

During a crisis situation, businesses should make sure they’re always communicating clearly, effectively, and regularly. They should do so with all stakeholders, company leaders, and employees, as well as with the public.

A minor problem can quickly turn into a full-blown crisis if all the parties involved don’t know what’s happening or what a business is doing to solve an issue.

That’s why it’s important for businesses to maintain open lines of communication. This will help them maintain high levels of trust among the aforementioned parties. Crisis situations happen, but how businesses handle their crisis will determine if they attain success despite the obstacles, or get bogged down by them.

Honesty

It’s always important to be as honest as possible with consumers, investors, and employees. Preserving a company’s reputation during a PR crisis can be difficult, but if the business has a crisis communication plan in hand to control the spread of misinformation it will be able to mitigate any reputational damage.

No one should be waiting until disaster strikes, because the best way to survive an attack on a company’s reputation is to create a response plan before it needs to be used.  Companies should also own up to their mistakes and ensure that everyone’s informed on what they will do differently after a crisis, in order to prevent them from happening again.

If a company’s track record is solid, and if there is a strong and trusting foundational relationship with every party involved, most people will be willing to accept the company’s explanation for the situation and continue supporting it as long as the business moves forward with integrity and honesty.

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5W PR was founded by Ronn Torossian, and is led by Co-CEO’s Matt Caiola and Dara Busch.