How do you use relationship marketing tools to cope with and recover from a crisis or a negative event?

1 Identify the problem and the impact

The first step in coping with and recovering from a crisis or a negative event is to identify the problem and the impact it has on your relationships. You need to assess the severity, scope, and duration of the situation, as well as the expectations and emotions of your audience. You also need to acknowledge your responsibility and accountability for the problem, and avoid blaming, minimizing, or ignoring it. You can use tools such as surveys, feedback forms, social media monitoring, and customer service analytics to gather data and insights on how your audience is feeling and reacting to the situation.

2 Communicate clearly and consistently

The second step is to communicate clearly and consistently with your audience. You need to inform them about the problem, the causes, the solutions, and the timelines. You also need to express your empathy, apology, and commitment to resolving the issue. You need to choose the appropriate channels, formats, and tones for your communication, depending on the nature and urgency of the situation. You can use tools such as email, newsletters, blogs, podcasts, videos, webinars, and live chats to deliver your messages and updates.

3 Provide value and support

The third step is to provide value and support to your audience. You need to offer them something that can help them cope with or overcome the problem, such as discounts, refunds, freebies, vouchers, tips, guides, or resources. You also need to provide them with adequate and accessible support, such as FAQs, help desks, chatbots, or phone lines. You need to ensure that your value and support are relevant, timely, and useful for your audience. You can use tools such as CRM systems, loyalty programs, content management systems, and chat platforms to manage and deliver your value and support.

4 Solicit feedback and suggestions

The fourth step is to solicit feedback and suggestions from your audience. You need to ask them how they feel about the problem, the solutions, and the communication. You also need to ask them what they think you can do better or differently in the future. You need to listen to their feedback and suggestions, and show that you appreciate and value their input. You can use tools such as polls, surveys, reviews, testimonials, and social media comments to collect and analyze your feedback and suggestions.

6 Evaluate and measure the results

The sixth and final step is to evaluate and measure the results of your coping and recovery efforts. You need to assess how well you have restored or enhanced your relationships with your audience, as well as how well you have achieved your business goals. You also need to identify the lessons learned, the best practices, and the areas for improvement. You can use tools such as KPIs, metrics, dashboards, reports, and analytics to track and evaluate your results.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?