10 Core Rules of PR Crisis Management

Every business will encounter a moment where they will need to manage a public relations crisis. In today’s current climate with the coronavirus at the forefront of everyone’s minds, business is scrambling to find solutions to handle this global crisis. We’re all wondering what will happen next as the numbers of those affected by the virus continue to grow by the hour. 

There is no need to when your business is managing a crisis. Here are the 13 core rules of PR Crisis Management to get you through. 

1. Proactive, Transparent, & Accountable

Reputation management is so crucial in today’s world of real-time updates. When something happens you need to acknowledge the incident, accept responsibility, and apologize. 

2. Take The Responsibility

The number one rule to PR Crisis management is not to cover up the incident or make excuses for it. Be the one to take responsibility 

3. Social Media Backlash

You will have social media backlash, so be prepared. It’s not surprising that this will happen since most of the world has access to some sort of social media platform at their fingertips 

4. Be Human 

Just because you are in crisis mode doesn’t mean you turn into an evil spawn, be human. Address the emotions of the crisis and how you plan on making an improvement. 

5. Get Ahead of The Ball 

When something bad happens don’t immediately default to “ghosting” your customers. You want to also bear in mind what are the different consequences, responses and even backlashes you will receive.

6. Hear Your Team Out 

Your team is on the frontlines and they are the ones interacting with clients on a daily basis. Listen to what they have to say because your team might be able to provide you with insights in real-time. 

7. Understand The Situation 

As soon as a crisis happens it's best to stay calm and understand the situation as an outsider who’s not part of the company. This will help you to gain clarity and make sound decisions. 

8. Going Silent 

Once you have addressed the situation properly know that it is ok to go silent on social media for a while. This allows everyone to regroup and process all the information. 

9. Monitor & Plan 

It’s always important to have your team continuously monitor the situation and be flexible with their response strategy. 

10. Apologize & Take Action 

In any PR crisis management, you should send out a heartfelt and genuine apology. Then follow it up with action to course correct the situation.