Preparing for a PR emergency
With Jill Alread Public Communications , Amy Ritter Cowen Public Communications
CHALLENGE
Museums are of high profile to the communities they serve, which results in an elevated public and media scrutiny of their services: engaging experiences, safety, transparency, responsible action and clean reputation. How are communication professionals to react when these expectations are compromised by crisis? But these expectations can be challenges by myriad crises: natural disasters, safety problems, financial malpractice, discrimination, staff misbehavior, incidents of violence, freak accidents, etc.
ACTION
Prepare and plan
Understand that a crisis is a when, not an if.
Key staff should be media-trained through mock-interviews to prepare for tough questions.
Develop a crisis communication plan for three scenario types:
Low damage and likely to occur
High damage and likely to occur
High damage and unlikely to occur
Each plan should include:
Clear explanation of crisis team (e.g. PR, security, legal, CEO…)
Templates that can be adapted and distributed quickly
Models for informing stakeholder groups (board, employees, donors, members, visitors, public), addressing who should speak to them and through which distribution channels?
Messaging guidelines including talking points
React
What helps in a time of crisis:
Well prepared, well informed and well equipped staff
Attentive, reactive social media presence (this may not be possible relying solely on internal teams – collaborating with an agency of record can help in this)
Truthful reporting – it’s okay to say you don’t know yet or can’t yet confirm
What doesn’t help in a time of crisis:
Lack of knowledge among staff of internal policies
Failure to acknowledge the full story
Delaying or avoiding corrective action (never use economic interests as an excuse)
Incomplete or dispassionate reactions
Recover
No promotional posts until the crisis is concluded
Come back with “palate-cleansing” content
Respect that social media is a discussion – listen, reflect and respond quickly and responsibly