Dear PR Matters,
I learned a lot from your past two columns about dealing with crises. Being new in the business, I have come to realize that crisis management is essential in public relations.
I have also come to realize that planning is essential in crisis management. Do you have any suggestions on how we can create a PR plan?
Sincerely,
Leah E.
Dear Leah,
Thank you for your interest in our column. It is very heartening to know that my colleagues and I can be of some help to you.
Your question is very timely, because in an article in PR News, Hayley Jennings said there were more than 800,000 crises reported in the media globally in 2017 and that number continues to grow. She added, “It’s more important than ever for brands to think about crisis not in terms of if one will happen, but when.”
In the same article, “7 Essential Elements of a Crisis Plan,” Julia Lee, vice president of crisis and reputation risk at Edelman, said the rise in crisis in recent years can be traced to three specific factors: more complex and greater scale operations, faster pace of business and higher stakeholder expectations.
Lee also explained that responding to a crisis is really about preparing ahead of time, and making sure you have a robust plan in place so that you can handle anything that comes your way.
Here are the seven features of a foolproof crisis plan:
Risk mapping and identification
Lee suggested that PR practitioners “scour the Internet, your company web site, and all social-media channels for potential issues concerning your brand.” She added that it can be helpful to map these by tier, probability of occurrence and severity of reputation risk should they occur.
Risk definition and issue evaluation framework
Lee said it is best to remember that every issue will be a major crisis, and sometimes activating a full-scale crisis response can create an issue out of a situation that could have been handled discreetly. In short, treat every issue differently. Don’t over react, and not every issue is major.
Decision matrix and escalation protocol
This is very applicable to larger companies with worldwide networks. Lee said there should be a clear protocol in place for when to invoke a global-crisis response. This can also be useful for smaller companies that are wondering when to escalate an issue to leadership or an outside agency or handle in-house.
Clearly defined roles and responsibilities
“Nothing can derail a crisis faster than a member of the team not doing their job,” Lee said. “It’s crucial to clarify roles and responsibilities of everyone on the crisis team before a crisis hits so that the troops can be mobilized as soon as possible to mitigate the situation.
Stakeholder identification and analysis
Lee said it is good to identify who are the people or groups—including the public and media—related to your company who will need information about a crisis, and who should receive the disseminated information first. These questions should be answered as part of your plan.
Detailed plans and strategies for handling high priority scenarios and risks
“When a crisis hits that could have serious reputational repercussions for your brand, you can get out in front of it much quicker if you have a strategy in place,” Lee said. These include drafting statements ahead of time to state that you’re aware of the situation, and you’ll release more information as this becomes available.
Checklists, templates, and contact information
Finally, Lee said anything you can do beforehand to decrease the risk of scrambling for information when a crisis is under way will save a lot of headaches during an already stressful time. Prepare checklists of steps of the plan and edit pre-communication templates. After all, a good crisis response is a swift one.
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie Dizon, the senior vice president for Marketing and Communications of SM, is the former local chairman.
We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.
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