In most cases, publicity is great for a business. It’s especially great if that publicity isn’t paid for. This, of course, is the goal of viral marketing and guerilla marketing tactics. You want to get people talking about your brand so it becomes part of the public consciousness.
However, the old adage that all publicity is good publicity is certainly not true in practice. When publicity for your company or products turns sour, it can do irreparable damage to your brand. In certain cases, a company can see its reputation destroyed in less than 24 hours. With that in mind, below are some tips on how to successfully combat a PR disaster.
Take Action Immediately
One of the worst things you can do during a PR crisis is hope that it goes away. In most cases, it probably won’t. Without some kind of action to intervene, the negative word of mouth will continue to spread unabated. While certain news stories past, they can now stay alive a lot longer thanks to the nature of social media. Companies believe social media makes PR controversies much harder to manage. The controversies also tend to grow in size as time passes on like a snowball traveling downhill during an avalanche. If you seem oblivious to the scandal, it can send very negative messages to the public even if that wasn’t your intention.
Get to the Root of the Problem Quickly
Internal investigations, like investigations of any kind, tend to drag on and on. However, this cannot be the case during a PR crisis. All that time wasted can mean thousands or even millions of dollars of value deleted from your company. While you don’t want to make mistakes when investigating what created a PR nightmare for your company, make sure to allocate enough resources to create a report on what occurred along with recommendations on how to properly address the problem as quickly as possible.
Be Open and Honest with the Public
One of the keys to successfully navigating through a PR disaster is being open and honest with the public. If you are investigating the issue, let the public know. The public, in fact, needs as much information regarding your actions to address the problem as possible. Without that knowledge, people may begin speculating and making false assumptions based on innuendo. Communicating with the public can help you do a better job of steering the story with both the news media and the public in general. It’s one way you can take back control of the narrative.
Apologize
Another one of the most important things you can do during a PR crisis is to apologize to the public and those who may have been harmed. Apologize no matter what the situation may be. If it’s the fault of the actions of a single employee, apologize anyways. If it was the result of a supplier dropping the ball, apologize. If it’s the result of something that was completely out of your control entirely, still apologize. Whatever the case, apologize and take responsibility for what occurred.
Many business owners are very proud and don’t want to admit fault when it really wasn’t their fault at all. However, you have to overcome this instinct and swallow your pride. The public will not just expect an apology. They will probably demand one. This is simply part of moving beyond a controversy.
Follow Up on the Apology
Lastly, apologies usually aren’t enough. You need to make sure a PR disaster like this does not happen again. Implement changes based on the results of your investigation to prevent the issue from recurring. Inform the public you have done so. Consider launching a new PR campaign to explain how you have learned and improved as a company. Also try to do a better job in general. Majority of millennials use online reviews to make decisions.
A PR crisis can be a trying time for a company and its employees. Things may seem tense. However, do what you need to resolve the issues in a calm and quick manner. Following the steps outlined above can help make sure you exit the crisis and regain your reputation with the public.
