Crisis Communication & Social Media

The case of the too skinny mannequins used by the lingerie leader LA PERLA in its shops, charged of encouraging a wrong role model, or the statement related to same-sex families in advertising campaigns released by Barilla’s President Guido Barilla, as well as the promotional campaign launched by FIAT for the Women’s day and accused of sexism, are some examples of companies that had to face social networks’ users attacks.

These critics have been managed differently by the companies involved: Barilla published official excuses on its Twitter account, FIAT provided uselessly defence and finally deleted from its Facebook page all the posts, comments and the promotional campaign itself.

Here are several useful suggestions to face communication crisis, provided by Abbie S. Fink of HMA Public Relations, our Phoenix-based PRGN partner.

Guest post by Abbie S. Fink – HMA Public Relations , PRGN partner of Sound PR in Phoenix

Crisis Communication & Social Media

Be Aware. Be Prepared. Be Proactive.

In today’s 24/7 140-word world that we live in, it just takes one misguided Tweet or inappropriate Instagram photo to create a crisis for any organization. Don’t shoot the “messenger” – social media doesn’t create the crisis, an error in judgment does.  A smart communicator knows this and is prepared to respond quickly and efficiently.

How do you advise a client that is facing a crisis situation when it comes to its communications efforts?

• Crisis communication no longer means holding a news conference to respond to questions. It now must include monitoring and managing what is happening in the social space.
• We must account for the fact that an inappropriate post, whether done internally by the organization, or as a result of a disgruntled blogger, can turn into a “crisis” if not responded to in a timely fashion.

What are some best practices to consider when using social media for a crisis situation?

• Just knowing that you need to be mindful of your presence in the social space is the first step. You may not actively engage in social media, but other influencers are. Keeping a close eye on the situation is crucial.
• It is not much different to me whether you are managing a crisis in the social space or through more traditional means – your tagline for this session is right on: be aware, be prepared and be proactive. There is no such thing as “no comment” and that is even truer in the social space.
• Have a social media policy in place so that all those representing your brand are aware of the dos and don’ts.
• Create a social media crisis team – smart, quick and empowered people who can be available at a moment’s notice. Crises never happen 8-5 so be sure everyone is reachable, no matter what time of day the crisis occurs.
• Our first reaction is to DELETE DELETE DELETE when it comes to that misguided post. But unless you can adequately explain it and why you are deleting, it is easier to move on and deal with it appropriately.
• Relax and take a deep breath before you respond. Yes, you need to respond, but give yourself the benefit of a minute or two to determine the best course of action and what your next steps will be. A smart, thoughtful response that is honest and keeping with your brand’s online presence will go a long way toward managing the crisis.