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When the unexpected happens and the alarm bells start going off in your business — what do you do? When it comes to protecting a business you’ve poured your heart and soul into, the answer is usually a lot more complicated than “just don’t panic.” Especially when you have to address a company issue with your customers and employees. However, it is possible to turn a PR emergency into a PR success story. Here’s how you can take a company crisis and use it to deepen customer trust, build new business relationships, and walk out stronger on the other side:
- Make a plan, and then make ten more
Oftentimes imagining all the “what if” scenarios for your business can lead to more stress than success— but not when it comes to handling a PR emergency. The best way to get ahead of a pressing company issue is to understand all the different directions an emergency situation could go and develop a plan for handling each scenario. If you can have a variety of press releases, statements, blog posts, social media announcements and more at the ready (even if they may require tweaking later on), you will feel more prepared for the twists and turns of any PR emergency.
2. No secrets are good secrets
2. No secrets are good secrets
Maintaining trust with your customer base is all about transparency. Admit the problem without hesitation and don’t downplay it. This doesn’t mean you have to tell customers absolutely everything but you do need to tell them enough to put them at ease. This means responding promptly to customer questions and ideally, anticipating and answering questions before they are even asked. This reduces the risk of the rumor mill getting away from you.
3. Admit where you went wrong
3. Admit where you went wrong
Your clients are likely to give you a lot more grace in a situation if you take accountability for a PR emergency. That doesn’t mean placing blame, however, it does mean taking full responsibility for how the consequences of a PR emergency are affecting clients.
4. Take action
4. Take action
Immediately start taking proactive actions to remedy the current situation your business is facing and then implementing measures to prevent future incidents from occurring. These actions and measures should be made clear to your customer base through regular updates on multiple messaging channels. Be clear about the swift action you are taking and offer assistance to any customers that may be affected.
5. Be kind and consistent
5. Be kind and consistent
It’s important to be empathetic towards your customers during a PR emergency. They aren’t being nosy— they are just worried too. Address public concerns with sincerity, have consistent messaging, and maintain a unified voice across all your platforms. Kindness can go a long way in salvaging a relationship and consistency works wonders in making clients feel secure in trusting your business.
6. Invest in crisis communications
6. Invest in crisis communications
Don’t wade into a PR emergency on your own. As a business owner, it can be difficult to see a business crisis from a neutral perspective or come up with creative solutions when you are in the thick of a stressful situation. 406 Strategic Communications offers crisis communications consulting to assist your business turn any PR emergency into a PR success story. Reach out to us for a free, 30-minute consultation.
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