There is a moment in every crisis where it begins to feel like the pressure has lifted. The news cycle has moved on to the next big story, the number of press enquiries in your inbox drops, and your management team lets out a huge sigh of relief.
However, do not make the mistake of assuming that you are now past the worst of it. The storm may have been weathered, but you still need to clear the debris and rebuild.
Surviving a crisis and recovering from one are two entirely different processes. One of them is about protecting your businesses and stabilising the situation, while the other is about rebuilding and recovering your reputation. In our experience at GameOn, the latter situation, if handled incorrectly, can be more difficult than the former.
The Sound of Silence
For most businesses, the first instinct after the dust has settled is to go quiet. To allow yourselves a moment to breathe after the initial chaos, and to avoid drawing any further attention to yourselves. However, sometimes silence speaks volumes.
Firstly, whether you want it to be or not, silence is often viewed as an indication of guilt. A prolonged period of inactivity or silence gives the impression that you are, in some way, serving out a punishment. Additionally, it assumes that if you go silent long enough, the industry will simply forget. In our experience, this is never the case.
Even if some of your competitors and the wider industry move on, the press rarely forgets; they will file things away and come back to them the next time you are in the news. The crisis, even after it has calmed down, becomes your brand’s defining narrative and the longer you do not move on it, the more you allow others to tell that story.
Taking Charge of the Story
As such, the weeks following the crisis are the most critical period for communications a company will face. What they do and say during this period will shape how their story is told moving forward. Brands that re-engage quickly are much more likely to change the narrative and rebuild their reputation than those who go silent and allow their story to be told for them. It is absolutely essential that you do not just sit on your hands and hope that everybody forgets.
Taking ownership and accountability of a crisis is typically your best option. In an industry as scrutinised as ours, there is no room for half-measures. You need to take ownership and demonstrate to your stakeholders that you have addressed the issue and are moving past it. Taking a half-hearted approach only compounds the damage done by the original crisis, and it sends the signal that you have not learned from your mistakes.
Doing this shows you have come out the other side, and allows brands to make the conversation about what comes next, rather than what went wrong.
Recovery is not about erasing what has happened. In fact, this is virtually an impossible task. It is about rebuilding your image and creating a narrative that can stand above it. One that can show stakeholders and the wider public that you are much more than just one moment of lapsed judgement.
This is where a sustained PR campaign becomes invaluable. Being visible and engaging with regulators, offering thought-leadership, and actively placing yourself in industry conversations will help you rebuild your profile and credibility much more effectively than simply hiding away. A self-imposed exile can also have huge commercial impacts.
During this stage, every public statement, interview, or piece of content that is publicised reinforces the same narrative. A company needs to be on the same page across the board, from the C-suite down. Inconsistency during this period can also be damaging, and mistakes put you at risk of appearing performative. Working alongside an experienced PR agency will help ensure you navigate this correctly.
Being Patient
A crisis does not disappear with one well-handled or friendly interview. It takes a sustained campaign of deliberate, consistent messaging and communication that helps you take control and shift the narrative. Just because the initial storm has died down, it does not mean the crisis is in your rear view.
Ultimately, the companies that emerge best from a crisis are the ones that see their recovery as an opportunity. A crisis solved poorly can leave your reputation in tatters, whereas one handled correctly can show stakeholders that you are a formidable proposition that can handle pressure. It can also provide you with a chance to overhaul your public image and redefine exactly what you stand for.
Trust can take years to build and moments to lose, but crucially, despite the old cliches, with sustained effort and the correct management, it can be reclaimed.
By: Sarah Mortimer, PR Account Manager at GameOn.
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