You're facing a PR crisis. How can you turn it into an opportunity for growth and success?

Being seen to take accountability is key for building long turn relationships and trust. Our stakeholders all understand that things don’t always go right. So there is greater danger by hiding the facts than there is to disclosing facts. Once the crisis is over your rate of taking it heading will determine your long term brand recovery.

Great advice from the other contributors, to which I would add- have a corporate dawn-raid protocol. The first priority in a dawn-raid protocol is "don't have a dawn raid!" But it is prudent, as part of the risk management process, (and should feature on your risk register) to understand which regulatory authorities are entitled to visit your business unannounced, and why. If you work through this process properly, you will substantially de-risk your business.

In crisis management, acknowledging the issue swiftly is paramount. Timely and transparent communication with your audience not only demonstrates accountability but also mitigates the spread of misinformation. By addressing the situation promptly, you seize control of the narrative and proactively manage perceptions. This initial response is crucial for instilling confidence and starting the process of rebuilding trust. Delaying acknowledgment only amplifies uncertainties and undermines credibility, making it harder to regain public trust. Therefore, swift acknowledgment not only shows responsibility but also positions you to navigate crises with integrity and resilience, fostering a foundation of trust amid challenges.

Be honest and transparent. Admit mistakes and provide updates on how you are fixing those mistakes (not to be repeated). How are you making your systems and processes more robust? Tell the world, fix it and move forward

Open communication is indeed the bedrock of successful crisis management. By providing clear, consistent, and timely updates to all stakeholders, you demonstrate transparency and a proactive approach to addressing the issue at hand. This openness not only helps to control the narrative but also builds trust and credibility with your audience. Utilize a multi-channel communication strategy, leveraging social media, press releases, email newsletters, and your website to ensure your message reaches the widest possible audience. Be sure to tailor your communication to each platform while maintaining consistency in your core message. Remember, your stakeholders appreciate honesty and regular updates, even if you don't have all the answers yet.

Open communication with clients should be structured and depends on audience mode and way of thinking, in some cases full transparency without measuring the reaction pf the audience may lead to misunderstanding from the audience, in all cases we have to be moral and use ethical ways with our audience and communicate effectively with them.

Comunique-se abertamente e mostre que você conhece o problema que gerou a crise considerando o que está sendo feito para minimizar os impactos negativos.

Resulta importante que representantes de alto nivel de la empresa envíen mensajes a la sociedad sobre el pro lema surgido y la solución encontrada. La comunicación debe ser concisa, breve y asertiva tanto en el reconocimiento de los desaciertos como en la solución encontrada.

• Actively listen to all stakeholders: Monitor and engage with feedback from customers, critics, and supporters to gain crucial insights. • Use feedback to refine your strategy: Adjust your crisis response based on public sentiment and concerns raised by your audience. • Demonstrate that you value input: Engage in two-way communication to build trust and foster a sense of community during the crisis.

Escutar o que o público tem a dizer poderá te ajudar a entender as causas do problema e pensar nas próximas estratégias para resolvê-lo. Evite assumir uma postura rígida e ficar na defensiva. Escute o que os outros tem a dizer sem julgamentos. Use isso a seu favor e, se necessário, crie um grupo de gerenciamento de crises para contribuir com ideias e ações para a solução do problema.

Es sumamente importante que en los momentos de crisis se escuche a los propios trabajadores de la Compañía y que la solución los involucre como componente importante, el capital humano es la principal fortaleza de cualquier empresa.

Yes implement changes that need to happen.... But more importantly be seen to take control of the situation. This is a fine balance as one should not be seen to be defensive when being advised to make some changes. The point is when in a crisis you will have 1000s of people giving you advice on what to change... you can not change everything and you certainly can not please everyone... What is most important is to be seen to be in control and making the right moves in a measured and non panicked manner. A calm head in a crisis is probably the single most important tool out there for a PR Practitioner.

Your brand story is the crown jewel in your organisation. Any chance that you have to tell it or elaborate on it you must take. Even in a crisis. The modern stakeholder can easily look up the facts about a crisis. What they are not always going to find easily is what your unique story is. That narrative can be told easiest when we are in a crisis as everyone is listening at that point.

Listen and collect data to refine your crisis response strategy. Conduct a focus group with leadership to identify unforeseen challenges and survey employees to measure opinion change within your organization. Get a pulse check from trusted partner organizations, affiliates, etc. Continue to monitor the situation externally while you make the (often) necessary improvements to your business practices. Move forward with grace and reduce internal tension by acknowledging that you're all in this together.

Never underestimate the power of Jiu Jitsu PR. A crisis may actually be an opportunity in disguise. When one of our clients ended up being called out by an ex Press Secretary on Twitter, we responded with a fun open letter from the CEO. It garnered more earned media than 7 super bowls - combined - and even led to an ice cream social at the White House. Always ask - How is this the best thing that could happen to us right now? Use that energy.

Hi Kabelo, I’m doing some interesting work in Namibia with Hunter&Co. I’ll get in touch with you in the near future when I’m over your way. Cheers, Kort

Always ask clients to consider a set of key messages and if needed press releases ready and approved before a crisis occurs. It shows forward thinking and will save money in the future.

Prevention is always better than putting out fires all the time. It's important that you review your reputation management practices and collect feedback from clients regularly. This way, yo can spot issues well before they escalate into a PR disaster.