Crisis management calls for constant communication
One of our most-used sayings here at Bernstein Crisis Management is, “in the absence of communication, rumor and innuendo fill the gap.” Never has that been more true than now, where the line between accredited media member and amateur e-reporter is almost completely blurred. The moment stakeholders catch wind of an incident they’re going to sit down at the computer, or just reach into their pocket and bust out the smartphone, and find out what they can. Whether the news they see is from CNN or @joe_blow, chances are it’s getting read/viewed, commented on, and shared. How do you prevent false information from trashing your reputation? Follow this advice, from a Kuno Creative blog post by Jenny Traster:
Be transparent – Don’t keep information to yourself. Share and keep your online community constantly informed. Post short video updates answering frequently asked questions, tweet and respond frequently. Social media requires more responsiveness at a quicker rate.
Your audience is hungry, and not for a steak dinner. What they want in a crisis is information, and it’s your decision whether they satisfy that hunger with solid facts that present your organization in a positive light, or feast on the massive helpings of damaging rumor and innuendo that will pop up when you bury your head in the sand.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/