As police operations, investigations and accusations become part of the daily agenda of the press and digital environment, many companies, regardless of size and industry, wonder what they would do if they were in the shoes of organizations that are making headlines, proportionately as they lose points in their reputation. This fear has a positive aspect that has led many companies to rethink their internal procedures, to create compliance policies and, fortunately, to seek help to structure a crisis prevention project. Many situations, even the most banal ones, can turn into a crisis if they are not well managed. But even before they occur, what can a company do to mitigate potential problems with more cost-effective solutions?
See below, 8 golden rules to be prepared.
Map potential risk situations – Make a sincere analysis of all sensitive points in each area of the company, try solving or minimizing them. Understanding your shortcomings will make you more agile in solving the problem. And there is that saying: Time is…
Define procedures – Develop an action plan, listing the impact, the people involved, immediate actions and responsibilities.
Train people – Everyone should know what attitude to take, who to involve – without wasting time – from the receptionist to the president, from the worker to the manager, from the HR to the IT area. As for managers, they must understand their roles and lead processes, within the management plan.
Organize materials – Keep all necessary materials at hand, from contact list, to information to be shared internally and externally.
Plan audience integration – This planning is not related to emergencies situations only. It should be put into practice daily. The company must communicate in a natural and constant way with employees, community, customers, the press and all the other audiences that are part of its operation.
Define and deploy content strategy – Maintain communication on the move, especially in positive situations, with the alignment of key messages that make sense for the company’s business development in the medium and long term. It is paramount to know what to say – and when, how and for whom – in any situation.
Monitor – What is talked about your company inside your gates? And out of them? How is your reputation in the digital environment? Accompanying comments and anticipating possible animosities may prevent further complications. Seizing propitious moments and working with a marketing and communication strategy are even more important to strengthen your image. Do not miss them.
Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate – Building reputation is an endless endeavor. It must be accompanied, analyzed, corrected day by day, without interruption, based on the achievements and the lessons learned, always looking at the future.
When to start? If your company has not yet realized these needs, it is already running out of time. But it’s never too late to start strategic communication and marketing planning to leverage opportunities and form a safety net for harder times that, hopefully, may never come.
G&A Comunicação Corporativa – Partner and Vice President
