In the world of public relations, no one ever likes to think about a crisis situation, but it’s important to be prepared if one should ever occur. At Durée & Company, our clients trust us to handle these situations with finesse across all communication channels, including social media.
And while this may seem like a daunting task, the rules of communicating via social media during a crisis scenario are the exact same as they are when drafting a news release, hosting a news conference or being interviewed on network news.
When it comes to crisis communications and social media, transparency is key. Stick to the facts and uncover the who, what, why, where, when and how. Then, draft your content as appropriate to each platform and follow the six rules below.
- Communicate candidly. If you don’t know the answer, don’t speculate. Admit you don’t know, then go find the answer.
- Be compassionate. An unexpected event has occurred that has caused pain for a person or group of people.
- Remain accessible. Now is the time to be visible. Post news and updates as often as they occur.
- Communicate in real time. During a crisis situation, target audiences will be watching mobile devices anticipating the latest update.
- Accept the inevitability of uncertainty and ambiguity. In a crisis situation, there are multiple moving parts. Some work in unison while others create discord. Be prepared for confusion and doubt.
- Monitor your social media platforms. In a crisis situation, the public is essentially your partner in the dissemination of information. If you employ good listening skills and provide fact-based shareable content, the crisis can be weathered as calmly and accurately as possible.
Social media’s instantaneous and 24/7 nature can certainly be intimidating, but in sticking with the communication basics, any crisis situation can be handled professionally. The better you understand how to communicate effectively on the various platforms, the better the outcome.
About Durée & Company
Durée & Company, Inc. is an award-winning full-service public relations, marketing and special events firm with offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Aspen, Colorado. The firm serves the corporate, agency and non-profit arenas for local, national and international clients focusing on public relations for real estate, public relations for restaurants, public relations for law firms, public relations for charities, public relations for healthcare, and many more. Durée & Company services include Public Relations, Social Media, Marketing, Advertising, Special Events, and Radio Promotions and Outreach.
