Key steps in preparing for a social media crisis

There is no control in a crisis. There is only truth, honesty and doing the right thing. #prprochat

— Gerard F. Corbett (@gerardcorbett) July 11, 2013

It was well said by @gerardcorbett in a recent #PRprochat: “There is no control in a crisis. There is only truth, honesty and doing the right thing.”

Whether it is a seasoned PR professional, a marketing agency handling a brand’s online reputation, or a business owner doing his or her own social media, planning for the worst is easy to overlook when you are juggling a thousand balls and every “squeaky wheel” demanding attention is more urgent than a “might happen” situation.

But (there’s always a but) if it happens, chances are your reaction might be too slow and too late to stop the momentum. What’s important is to plan for a crisis in a manner that makes the most sense for your business. There are hundreds of posts about what to do, how to plan, and being honest or transparent.

This isn’t about that.