Social media and crisis communication
"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." - Mike Tyson
They say you should have a plan in place to follow in case a public relations crisis hits. But that doesn't do a lot of good when you get a shellacking and you're seeing stars.
Often, a crisis event is a black swan, or something sudden and dramatic and nearly impossible to predict. In these cases, you are forced to be reactive, which already puts you behind in a world of instant communication.
And in social media, you don't get hit just once. You get pummeled so fast you suddenly don't know which way is up.
So while having a plan is a good idea for issues you may know in advance, today's world requires you to train your survival instincts to respond when you get an unexpected punch in the mouth.
Here are some steps to take when you get thrown into a crisis situation.
First, you have to know what you're dealing with, its severity and the scope of its impact. Sometimes people are upset and need to vent. And while you should listen to and be responsive to your audience, a few angry people does not make a crisis or require the resources of a full-on response.
Public relations or social media managers are not always involved or informed about decisions that can cause issues, but they deal with the aftermath of so-called "PR nightmares" or "social media disasters," as Augie Ray has pointed out. So as soon as possible, find out all the context surrounding the issue you're facing. This may seem overly obvious, but getting the facts absolutely correct will be crucial to everything that comes next.
Initially, most of your communication will not be externally, but internally with your team members. This can be just as difficult and fraught with emotion as communicating with your audience. Keep focused on responding, rather than succumbing to the flight, fight or freeze response.
This is more of an art than a science. The longer you wait, the more you allow others to control a one-sided narrative. At the same time, if you act too hastily or without the proper information, you may simply escalate an issue. How do you quickly come to a consensus? If your gut tells you something doesn't seem right, speak up. But it's also not the time to debate every word of a statement.
5) Make it a conversation
Instead of clinging to talking points like an automaton, listen to what the public is saying and respond (like a human) to their specific concerns. Often people just need to hear the full facts and context so they better understand an issue. Aim for transparency and make it a conversation rather than an Us-vs-Them statement.
6) Take it beyond 140 characters
...or beyond a Facebook post. While a PR crisis can often begin in social media, it will not stay there exclusively. Your response must be a statement, a video, a blog post or something more in-depth and substantial that you can link to in a social media post.
7) Contact your key influencers
Some of your biggest fans can quickly become your harshest critics during a crisis, because they feel the most connection to you. They don't want to be let down. Seek them out personally and let them know they are being heard.
It's not uncommon for haters who previously had no connection to you to pile on during a crisis. That's just the Internet world that we live in. Don't play their game. Ignore the trolls and they'll just as quickly disappear. If you're unsure if someone is a troll or not, check their past postings or use a tool like Sprout Social to see if they have any history communicating with your brand.
No one wants to have an Applebee's meltdown. You never want to get into an emotional, public argument with the Internet, especially when you're just repeating the same talking points over and over again. You're not going to win.
10) Correct factual errors
At the same time, if you see significant errors starting to spread, don't be afraid to correct them so they don't take root. Perception can quickly become reality if rumors are allowed to fester. When addressing errors, stick to the facts. Stay neutral and concise and don't argue back-and-forth.
It's easy to get angry at those getting angry, because they don't know what you know. That's not their fault. Instead, try to put yourself in the public's shoes. Listen to their voices, offer sincere empathy, and when it's possible provide information and context to help them understand the situation.
12) Don't take it personally
Sometimes people want to shoot the messenger. When people are sending angry (or in some cases hateful) messages to your Facebook page or Twitter account -- and you're the one behind it -- you can forget that you are not your client or brand. You have to have some skin in the game to care, but don't take it too personally. Keep calm and stay professional.
It's called crisis communication for a reason. It's stressful, pressure-filled and easy to criticize and second guess. But keep in mind that there's no better training for crisis communication than going through a crisis. No one wants to experience negativity, but it will give you perspective and sharpen your instincts for the next time. The sun will come up tomorrow, and this too shall pass.
Do you have experience in a crisis communication situation? What are your tips?
Flickr photo from the Library of Congress
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