Top Tips in How to Handle a Public Relations Crisis

When a public relations “crisis” occurs, many organisations might find themselves feeling exposed and with a growing sense of losing control. But that really doesn’t need to be the case. The secret to effective crisis communications is, quite simply, preparation.  

PR crises may be unplanned, but they can be anticipated. Good crisis communications is a set of well-practiced processes that remove emotion, reduce pressure and help you respond quickly and confidently. It’s something we support clients with regularly at Aberfield across sectors from food and drink to education, property and professional services. 

What is a PR crisis?

In short, a crisis is an unexpected event that has the potential to negatively impact your company’s reputation, and worse. This could involve a product issue, a legal or regulatory challenge, a safety incident, or misinformation spreading rapidly across social media. Whatever the source, the impact is the same: if handled poorly, the situation can escalate quickly and damage trust. 

What should you have in place before a PR crisis occurs? 

The strongest organisations take a proactive approach to crisis communications. This means having a clear crisis team in place, along with agreed processes for identifying, categorising and escalating incidents so information flows quickly and decisions can be made confidently. 

All of this should be captured in a single, practical and accessible crisis communications handbook. This should include the likes of roles and responsibilities, contact details, escalation steps, background information and preprepared materials such as messaging frameworks. It can also include templates and examples for holding statements that can be adapted for internal, customer or external use. 

But a handbook only works if it’s current, so it must be reviewed regularly to stay relevant. 

What are the first steps to manage a PR crisis? 

When a crisis hits, the instinct is often to respond immediately, but the most important first step is to pause. Before communicating, you must understand the situation fully. Working with internal stakeholders allows you to establish the facts, assess the severity and agree on an appropriate response. 

This phase involves prioritising activity, confirming roles and responsibilities, doublechecking information, agreeing proportionate actions and thinking ahead about how the situation might develop. Taking the time to do this properly is essential to effective reputation management during a crisis. 

How should you communicate during a PR crisis? 

When it comes to communicating in a crisis, it’s vital to consider all channels, and tailor your approach accordingly. 

PR crisis and the media 

Media engagement requires clarity, honesty and control. Thoroughly think through the questions you are likely to be asked and make sure you can provide straight, accurate and factual answers, to appear knowledgeable, reassuring and in total control. Depending on the situation, proactive communications may be required, or simply reactive holding statements. Also, don’t be afraid of a ‘no comment’, as it can be an important and credible tool when used at the right time. 

Social media 

Managing social media backlash requires discipline and process. Social channels are fast‑moving and highly visible, which means misinformation or speculation can spread quickly. It’s important to understand who is posting, whether customers, journalists, employees or trolls, and decide which comments genuinely require a response. You should also be clear about the purpose of each channel during a crisis, whether that is signposting, providing updates or addressing enquiries. A calm and consistent tone is essential. 

Internal communications 

Internal communications in a crisis are often overlooked, but employees need clarity just as much as external audiences. Providing regular updates, approved messaging, FAQs and clear guidance gives staff the confidence to manage enquiries and support customers during a challenging period. Your internal teams are ambassadors for your organisation, and they need direction and reassurance. 

What next? 

A crisis rarely ends when the initial issue has been addressed. Ongoing monitoring is essential, and many organisations will require a longer-term recovery strategy to rebuild confidence and restore reputation. Once the situation has stabilised, a washup meeting should identify what worked well, what didn’t, and what needs updating within the crisis communications handbook. Crisis comms should always evolve with experience. 

Need help preparing for a crisis? 

If you’d like support developing a crisis communication plan, building a crisis handbook, media training or running crisis simulation training for your organisation, the team at Aberfield can help. Find out about our offering here, and get in touch if you’d like a chat.