Bad press? First steps on how to react
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Businesses may encounter a publicity crisis at one point or another. As negative publicity can spread like wildfire on the internet, it’s important to know how to handle these situations without digging one’s own grave. Here are some tips, which might help you combat bad press—because being in the public eye, you need the ability to deal professionally with the good and the bad.
First things first: Keep calm
Before one makes the rash and imprudent decision to contact a journalist because of a negative article, one should take the following steps... The first step is to listen and read thoroughly. Take the critique as a learning opportunity. This is pivotal to improving and growing. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the audience, and read articles from a customer's point of view. Understand the media situation at large on the relevant topic. That way, you can truly understand where the criticism might be coming from.
What now?
Write down the key aspects of the critique and then try to have a neutral, unbiased mindset about your company or product, regardless of what is criticized, and allow yourself to see if the article reflects some of your weaknesses. Can you use the outsider perspective, to prepare for future projects? Sometimes, even though critique might be harsh, it can and should be used for further development. You should have a small checklist available at all times in order to be prepared. This list should include:
Phase 1 - Alert your team
Firstly, do in depth research regarding the topic of the criticism, this way you can fully understand it. There is nothing worse than a tone-deaf response, especially regarding serious issues. Questioning your own biases and lack of awareness is essential for learning and understanding. A well-informed and honest response goes a long way. The following questions might help you gather a well-rounded overview of the situation:
What happened?
Where and when?
Who was affected?
Who is involved?
When did we learn about the incident?
What is the impact/likely impact?
Is there any immediate danger?
Do we understand the entire issue?
Has any media outlet reported on this yet?
Have an internal meeting about it. Discuss the issue with your colleagues and see where they stand on the issue. If, in your company, there is someone with experience in crisis communication, this person should take the lead on how to handle these situations and can perhaps be the spokesperson. However, in many cases, the public prefers to hear from the person who carries the most responsibility, and in most cases that’s the CEO. It’s important that the person is well-trained, and able to get the right message across, in a sensible and calm manner, to prevent further damage. Consider a prompt brief media training according to the situation, to better help the one who needs to speak in public to address the issue.
Phase 2 - Assess the situation
Decide on the best way to respond. Or, if a response is even necessary. This is a complicated matter, as there is no universally correct way of handling all situations. Does it make sense to take corrective action to minimize harm, or will fighting back lead to the issue gaining even more attention? However, if you decide to respond, the way in which you react will depend, and be specific to the issue itself. Sometimes, dealing with it behind the scenes, away from the public-eye, might work best. Other times, issues might require a public explanation. Be honest and upfront. This is essential when dealing with negative press and preventing making the situation worse. Taking responsibility when being at fault is key.
Phase 3 - Activate
The response can be done through a press release, statement, blog, video or even a press conference. An apology is always a viable option. Yet, what’s even more important is the way forward: prove that you are going to improve by taking action and communicate the steps you will take as clearly as possible.
Last but not least
Most scandals will blow over at some point or another. But having prepared a step-by-step plan beforehand, to handle such situations, is very important as some scandals can stick around for a long time. Being well-prepared, may very well help prevent further damage in an efficient way. Also, being proactive can be very effective in monitoring your company's reputation and is a good way to identify potential future problems. This can be done by staying well-informed about the sentiment of the media, whether it’s on social media or various publishing houses, as well as staying on top of customer rating portals such as Trustpilot. In addition, continue to check your own customer support and customer surveys. Are there frequent negative reviews regarding the same issue? And, if you want to go the extra mile, you could also hire a market research institute for further knowledge and evaluation of your company's standing.
Extra tip: Plan for the worst timing
A crisis never happens at a convenient time. So planning for worst-case scenarios is essential. Hold regular crisis management workshops internally and keep the entire team posted when the strategy is revised. With the right preparation and exercise, many minor issues can be dealt with quickly and efficiently, and even the new intern who spots a negative article about the company will know exactly what next steps to take.
For further information regarding this topic, you can check out an article we created on crisis management: Crisis Communication - A guide, and of course feel free to reach out to us with questions. E-Mail: michaela.krause@laika.berlin