Financial trouble. A product recall. An accident that costs lives or harms the environment.
When your company is involved in a detrimental situation or event, how you respond to the crisis at hand can spell the difference between saving your reputation or suffering an irreversible loss of trust and business.
Control the Story from the Start
In today’s 24-hour news cycle, perception is truth and the media creates the perception following a crisis.
Reaching out to the media with a rapid and coordinated response is critical in controlling the story and managing public perception. Your best response depends on a well thought out plan and key messages consistently communicated.
Stay a Step Ahead with Strategic Crisis Management Tactics
Working effectively with the media takes preparation. These 4 proven media relations tactics can help steer you clear of further damage when the going gets rough.
· Have an in-depth crisis communications plan that includes dealing with the media and who will do what. Be specific in your directions.
· Make sure the crisis team has been professionally trained in doing hard news interviews. Have your team retrained at least every two years. Name a spokesperson and two backups today.
· Manage the crisis head on. Get to the media before they get to you.
· Respond to reporters’ questions immediately. They expect a return call or an on-site interview within 10 minutes of the request. If you delay they will say you “were unavailable for comments.”
For more ideas to drive sales go to blog.ambitmarketing.com or visit Ambit Advertising and Public Relations.
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