Crisis management involves having a plan and team in place to respond quickly to negative events. The team should consist of representatives from marketing, legal, HR, customer service and executives. It is important to build relationships with local media and officials in advance. When a crisis occurs, acknowledge what happened, provide details and the actions being taken to address it and prevent future issues. Monitor social media responses and address comments politely without trying to "win" arguments. After the crisis, review how effective the response was and make revisions to be better prepared next time.

2. Crisis Management
Providing damage control from a negative event.

3. When the public knows more about what’s going on than you.
Scope and scale is the sign of a social media crisis.
What is a crisis?

4. Who remembers this?

5. • Have eyes and ears
• Sign up for alerts
• Enlist employees, board members,
and advocates
• Assign a backup person to monitor
social media channels on off hours
Preparation

6. Don’t wait until there is a crisis to build a
team!
Your team should consist of the following:
• Marketing/ PR
• Legal
• HR
• Customer Service
• Executive Management
Build a dream team

7. Having a crisis at a large, public event meant utilizing those
relationships. Again, this will depend on what kind of organization it is.
• Media
• Police department
• City officials
Form useful relationships

8. Be proactive. Get out in front of the crisis.
A response, even if vague, will slow down further rumours or negativity
from spreading.
“By now, you may be aware of a disheartening situation in one of our Philadelphia-area stores this
past Thursday, that led to a reprehensible outcome.
First, to once again express our deepest apologies to the two men who were arrested with a goal of
doing whatever we can to make things right.”
- Starbucks CEO in response to the Philadelphia arrest incident.
During the crisis

9. Maybe you build a page on a website, send out a press release or
public statement. Have the steps your company is taking for easy
reference.
Include:
- Acknowledgement
- Details
- Specific actions taken in response
- Effects of the crisis
- Steps taken to prevent further crisis
- Contact info for people with questions
Have solutions in one place.

10. The response

11. Allow people to vent on your page.
Encourage them.
Remember, they want to be heard and better it be where
you can see it than not.
Assign a person or two to monitor the page and comments over the
next 48 hours or so.
Always respond, address the comments:

12. Your goal is not to win. It’s for damage
control.
Some people will troll you for the sake of it.
Know when to take it offline.
Use politeness or take it offline

13. Make sure that every employee or member of the organization is kept
up to date with the message, plan and solutions.
Arm them with knowledge so they can be the spokesperson so the
message stays consistent.
Empower your team

14. After the crisis has subsided, assess the following:
• Did it work?
• Did the public respond well?
• How long did the crisis last in the public eye?
Make notes and revise to be better prepared for the next one.
Review the response

15. Questions?
April Courville
Marketing Strategist