PR Crisis Management 101
Who do you call in a crisis? There’s a rule as old as time that tells us to dial 9-1-1. But what if your brand has just had a public relations crisis? Your PR team should be running to the rescue.
What is a PR crisis? In the business world, many things are unpredictable. Accidents, lawsuits, product defects, and flaws: no business is exempt. The important thing is to be prepared and to have a plan. A good PR team should be equipped to handle all of these scenarios. Read on to learn about the three fundamental ways a PR team can manage a public relations crisis.
A PR Team Helps You to Address the Crisis
So… what just happened here: whatever the case, the first thing any business should do is address the situation. Figure out what went wrong or how something shifted. Connect the dots. In the beginning, while the event is still fresh, is the easiest time to assess the details as they are unfolding. Your PR team will be able to gather the facts and information that will help you all come up with the best solution. They’re your second set of eyes that will be able to spot the things that may be in your blind spot.
PR Helps You Navigate Through a Crisis
Next: what’s your plan? This is the how, who, and what of the problem. What kind of building blocks will you need to begin reconstructing? If you’ve had a PR team of record for a while, chances are they’ve been focused on building relationships on behalf of your business. Is your brand in good standing with another brand in your field that could act as an ally in your time of need? PR firms can leverage these kinds of common ties and lean on them for help in areas that call for it.
This is the most difficult part of the process, but it’s what makes a business stronger. Sometimes the only way to fix a problem is to move right through it. The purpose of having a good PR team by your side is so that these times won’t feel like such a challenge to overcome.
PR Helps You Learn and Improve After a Crisis
We’re in the clear. After the trials come, the lessons and the growth (if everything has been managed correctly). PR crisis management is effective for solving any of the problems on hand, and it’s also an important partnership for following through past the end. After you’ve weathered the storm, how can you be better prepared the next time if something similar happens again (let alone an incident of another type)? Your PR team should be there to put new strategies into place that can prevent similar scenarios from happening in the future.
A PR crisis is never something we expect to happen. But we can do things that are in our control to prevent them from happening. And should they happen, a trusted team by your side is paramount to help carry some of the load. Here in San Diego, The Forum offers great public relations services to help businesses face industry hurdles head-on. Take a look at some of them here.
