Staying calm, collected and on the right track while your customers and fans lash out and criticize your company or organization can be a crisis in itself! Here are 21 tips to help you achieve and overcome this challenge (not to mention help steer your company through the crisis), if ever you find yourself faced with a social media crisis:
- Be prepared with a social media crisis plan (I have an inkling to say “duh!” here!)
- Know your role within a social media crisis
- Take the right steps to make sure that every member of your team knows and understands their role within a crisis (before a crisis strikes)
- Have a trained (and the right) spokesperson always on the ready
- Listen to your market
- Be human
- Ask your loyal brand advocates and still-happy customers for their help and support
- Keep the conversation (two-way always) on your venues
- Look for distinct and hidden opportunities
- Concentrate on what you always have control over
- Be clear in your messaging
- Surround yourself with the right support system
- Communicate with your team – don’t shut them out, gain from their help
- Focus on building and rebuilding the relationship you share with your customers and fans
- Take a deep breath and think before you respond
- Get all the facts
- Be as open and honest as you possibly can
- Be timely in both your replies and your updates
- Sincerely apologize when an apology is due
- Keep the two-way lines of communication open
- Respond on the same channels that the crisis broke out on
What would you add to this list? Share your thoughts and insights with me below!
Author of Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World, Melissa Agnes is a leading authority on crisis preparedness, reputation management, and brand protection. Agnes is a coveted keynote speaker, commentator, and advisor to some of today’s leading organizations faced with the greatest risks. Learn more about Melissa and her work here.
Sounds like a crises plan is a lot like the 21 step program for recovering alcoholics. I mean lets face it they both have their challenges ahead of them. You sure are right about staying calm, no need to over react, I tend to do and then think, I'm so bad for that my teachers have always expressed how I should think before I speak. p.s. I think there's an issue with the comment luv.
Hi Brian,
These aren't all the stages in a crisis plan, simply some key focus areas to make sure you're not forgetting when responding to and dealing with one!
It's definitely very strategic to take a deep breath and think – and gather all the facts – before you make your official statement. Your teachers were wise!
Thanks for taking the time to read the post and leave your comment, Brian! I'll look into the CommentLuv and see if I can't see or fix the issue – thanks for bringing it to my attention!
Even if I didn't need these tips right now, I love always being prepared for anything, hopefully it's not needed but if it ever is I will know what to do, thanks Melissa!
Glad to know you'll keep this post in reserve, Jamie! Some of the tips in here should be put together and developed before hand – but informing yourself is always the first step!
Thanks so much for stopping by and letting me know you found the post useful!