Back in the good old days of traditional media, business owners’ greatest nightmares were some publications with a small, local reach or classic word-of-mouth. Yes, it could be harmful to the business, but relatively you’d survive.
Now business owners are Googling “How to respond to social media attacks” while their phones keep pinging with new notifications.
When social media’s rage strikes, it can be swift, and you’re going to wish you had the expertise of crisis managers in your team!
It can feel completely overwhelming and get messy really quickly if not handled correctly.
It won’t be pretty. That’s why we’re here to share with you, based on real clients, the tips and tricks for your business to stay standing gracefully amidst an aggressive social media storm.
Imagine watching a video of one of your favorite restaurant’s food with a side of bugs. (We warned you it won’t be pretty!)
The business owners were panicking, and social media’s power wasn’t in their favor. And almost just as instantly as the short, 10-second video went viral, we were called in to manage the message.
Another company came under fire for what the public thought was poor product placement.
A show had used one of the company’s products in a scene that ultimately didn’t sit well with the Twitterverse. It wasn’t the company’s fault, but it got dragged into the spotlight and was forced to defend itself. The Director of Communications & Marketing called us in a panic. They had no idea how to respond. (I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not Peloton’s seemingly never-ending saga with ‘And Just Like That’ — this situation is way more common than you think!)
We’ve watched companies go bankrupt after responding poorly during a social media attack which left lasting damage.
But some businesses survive these storms and actually THRIVE after them.
“How?!?” you ask? Here’s our secret:
We’ve developed a framework that turns a media crisis, whether traditional or social media, to your advantage.
Here are 4 of the steps in our framework.
1. Figure Out Facts
Unleash your inner Sherlock Holmes and start focusing on the critical questions rather than worrying. What actually happened? Who’s alleging what and why? Is there proof that what they’re saying is true? Do they have a motive to attack us? Do we need to launch a formal investigation? Don’t let the list of questions racing through your head cause you to freeze. Stop panicking and start planning! It’s time to gather your crisis team and make some magic happen. Be as fast as the social media wind and begin connecting the dots with your team.
2. Identify Your Audience
Be smart about your next move and focus on reaching your target audience in one strike. For social media, it may be the source of the post, the group that’s impacted, or the media’s social media account. For traditional media, this includes which publications you want to target. You may care more about the online group, local paper, or trade publication in tight-knit communities. Often the best solution is to go after the big fish — the one that will set the tone. It’s the big fish that smaller publications or other accounts will take their lead from and run similar stories.
3. Craft Your Message
Reassurance and trust are what human beings need to de-escalate and re-evaluate a situation. Rely on the three R’s: Reassure. Reassure. Reassure. Live in your audience’s mind. What are they feeling right now? Are they devastated, angry, or confused? Reassure them! Show them that you care, but more importantly, that you’re taking action.
4. Send It Out
The majority of the strategizing and intensity of the situation is over. This doesn’t mean you should lose momentum and walk away. To be effective, you need to monitor how your message was received and respond accordingly.
You’re in a much stronger position by partnering with your crisis team to handle the situation. Their outside perspective, paired with a deep knowledge of handling situations similar to yours, is something that can’t be replicated.
So if you’re looking for fixers to help you thrive in times of crisis and protect your hard-built reputation, call us at (310) 396-8696.
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Gillott Communications is a Los Angeles-based public relations firm that specializes in high-stakes Crisis & Reputation Management with more than 50 years of expertise in strategic communications, corporate public relations, and working with the media.
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