How do you foster trust and credibility with your audience during a crisis?

In a crisis, communication is essential to building credibility and trust with your audience. But coping with ambiguity, complexity, and emotions during a crisis makes communication difficult. Providing accurate and timely information, striking a balance between transparency and secrecy, catering to the many requirements and expectations of stakeholders, and upholding consistency and coherence across various platforms and channels are just a few of the difficulties faced by communicators. To establish and preserve credibility and trust with their audience, communicators must therefore have a clear strategy, a trustworthy information source, and a courteous and sympathetic tone.

Key for me in terms of credibility in a crisis is to be calm. assured and open minded. Ensure you have and stick to an effective decision making model and when the pressures on hold your values close and use them to guide you in terms of what's right !! Remember 'Most important thing is to make the most important thing most important'.

In my experience, to foster trust and credibility during a crisis event you must have clear and measurable objectives. Have Clear Goals: Start with clear, concise goals for your communication. Avoid Getting into the Weeds: Stick to the big picture and key messages. Simplify your message to keep it impactful and focused. Identify and rank your objectives, determine what needs immediate attention and what can wait. This helps streamline your efforts and ensures critical issues are addressed first.

Experience has taught us that during a(ny) crisis, the affected or 'at-risk' population wants you to answer these three questions: 1. What is or are my/our risk(s)? 2. What are you doing to help me/us? 3. What can I do to help myself/ourselves

During a crisis, promoting trust and credibility involves transparent communication, timely updates, and showing empathy. Address concerns promptly and provide clear action plans detailing steps being taken to resolve the issue. Demonstrating accountability and maintaining an open dialogue with your audience reinforces your commitment to their well-being and helps build lasting trust.

Tailor communication to address their specific concerns, emotions, and expectations. Transparency is key – provide accurate information promptly, acknowledging challenges while emphasizing your commitment to resolving them. Engage with empathy, demonstrating an understanding of their perspectives. By proactively addressing audience needs and concerns, you build a foundation of trust, reassuring them that you are actively working towards resolution. This approach not only mitigates the impact of the crisis but also strengthens your long-term relationship with the audience.

Tailor your messages to address the specific needs, expectations, and preferences of different groups. Customers may be concerned about the impact on products or services, employees about job security and safety, and partners about collaboration and contracts. Adapt the tone, language, and format of your messages based on the communication channel, whether it’s email, social media, phone, or video. This targeted approach ensures your communication is relevant, empathetic, and effective.

Getting to know your audience requires active listening through social media monitoring, feedback channels, and direct communication. Segment your audience to tailor messages effectively, recognizing different needs and expectations. Familiarity with the audience's values and emotions enables empathetic communication, ensuring messages resonate positively. Engaging with the audience before a crisis builds a foundation of trust and facilitates more effective communication during challenging times.

Openly communicate the situation, sharing accurate information about the challenges faced. Acknowledge any mistakes, if applicable, and outline the steps being taken to address the crisis. Transparency builds credibility, showing that you respect your audience enough to be truthful with them. Keep communication lines open, providing regular updates to keep stakeholders informed. By demonstrating transparency and honesty, you not only navigate the crisis more effectively but also strengthen the foundation of trust with your audience.

Understand the emotional impact on your audience and acknowledge their concerns. Express genuine care and concern through your communication, conveying that you empathize with their challenges. Share relatable stories that highlight a shared experience, creating a connection based on understanding. Communicate in a compassionate tone, reassuring your audience that their well-being is a priority. By demonstrating empathy, you not only address their emotional needs but also establish a foundation of trust, as people are more likely to trust and follow leaders who genuinely understand and care about their feelings.

To show empathy and compassion start by acknowledging the impact the situation may have on your audience. Use language that is understanding and caring, avoiding jargon to ensure messages are relatable. Address the audience's concerns directly, showing that you are listening and understand their feelings. Offer support and resources to help them navigate the crisis. Be transparent about the steps being taken to resolve the issue, and apologize if necessary. Tailoring messages to reflect the audience's specific circumstances and emotions demonstrates genuine concern and fosters a stronger connection during challenging times.

Keep your audience informed with timely, accurate, and relevant information. Offer solutions and guidance to help them navigate challenges. Show expertise in your field by sharing insights that demonstrate a deep understanding of the situation. Be transparent about uncertainties, demonstrating authenticity. Address concerns proactively, and communicate a clear plan of action. Consistently deliver valuable content, whether through informative updates, helpful resources, or actionable advice. By being a reliable source of support and information, you build trust and credibility with your audience, showing them that you are committed to their well-being and success.

Providing value and guidance is essential for fostering trust and credibility during a crisis. Your audience needs practical solutions, resources, and advice to navigate the situation. Offer clear, actionable steps they can follow or expect from you. Avoid vague or ambiguous language and refrain from making promises you can't keep. Use specific and concrete language to convey your message effectively. By being proactive and supportive, you demonstrate your commitment to helping your audience through the crisis, strengthening their trust in your organization.

Start by actively listen to your audience's questions, comments, and complaints, and respond promptly and courteously. Address their concerns directly and invite them to share their opinions, suggestions, and experiences. Avoid being silent, defensive, or dismissive. Use interactive and collaborative language, steering clear of arguments or conflicts. This open and responsive approach demonstrates your commitment to transparency and builds a stronger, more trusting relationship with your audience.

To add to the conversation and the great points in building trust before the crisis, but particularly during being able to say “I don’t know” and “here’s what I do know/how we can find out” or even “here’s the next best question”.

As food for fruther thoughts, here are some additional elements that are worth considering: Share Real-life Examples: Highlight past instances where your organization successfully navigated a crisis. For example, how you handled a data breach or a supply chain disruption can demonstrate your ability to manage difficult situations effectively. - Showcase Leadership - Highlight Community Efforts - Provide Updates: Keep your audience informed with regular updates. Even if there is no new information, acknowledging the situation and reaffirming your commitment to resolving the issue shows diligence and transparency. - Focus on Resilience: Share insights into the steps you’re taking to build resilience and prevent future crises.

This is an act that is to be done 'before' and 'after' the crisis, not 'during' the crisis. During the crisis, you will use that trust that you have built over time. To build trust in/ with your audience 'before' the crisis, here are My Top Tips: 1. Build Crisis Management Capability 1.1 Have a named Crisis Manager 1.2 Establish a CMT 1.3 Invest in 1.3.1 People 1.3.2 Plan 1.3.3. Arrangements 2. Test the plan 3. Improve the plan and arrangements 4. Involve all relevant interested parties (your audience) in your Crisis Management Tests 5. Communicate-Communicate-Communicate 6. Learn and Share - internally/ externally 7. Participate in (and win) awards/ recognitions 8. Publish your stories - case studies 9. Be transparent 10. Seek feedback