Negative media coverage can damage your company's reputation, credibility, and sales. How can you use PR to address it effectively and restore trust with your stakeholders? In this article, you will learn six PR strategies and tactics that can help you respond to negative media coverage, mitigate the impact, and rebuild your image.
Before you react to negative media coverage, you need to assess the situation and understand the source, scope, and severity of the criticism. Is it a factual error, a misunderstanding, a complaint, or a deliberate attack? How widespread and influential is the media outlet or the journalist? How serious and urgent is the issue for your company and your audience? By answering these questions, you can determine the best course of action and avoid overreacting or underreacting.
This will feel contradicting for some, but oftentimes, the best answer to a PR crisis is not addressing the situation at all. Take Target and the Black Friday scandal, for example. Users FLOODED their comments section on every social media platform about the lack of transparency of their Black Friday deals. Curiously, Target didn't address the situation days after. This is why assessing the situation is a critical step for PR crisis communication. It's probably better for established brands and companies to let the situation calm down because chances are they won't lose anything and people will eventually forget.
Yes absolutely we need to identify the eye of the storm. What triggered this event? Is it a repurcussion of any previous circumstances? What kind of impact this can have overall?
If the negative media coverage is based on a mistake, a failure, or a wrongdoing by your company, you need to acknowledge it and apologize sincerely and promptly. Ignoring or denying the problem will only worsen the situation and erode your credibility. By admitting your fault and expressing your regret, you can show your accountability and empathy, and start the process of repairing the damage. Make sure your apology is clear, specific, and consistent across all your communication channels.
A swift, honest apology will go a long way. You don't have to have all the answers or solutions when you apologize. But you do need to get the message out that you aim to do better.
If the negative media coverage is based on inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading information, you need to correct it and clarify the facts. You can do this by issuing a press release, a statement, or a letter to the editor, or by requesting a correction or a retraction from the media outlet. You can also use your own website, blog, social media, or newsletter to provide accurate and relevant information to your audience. Make sure your correction is factual, respectful, and timely.
Even if negative media visibility isn't personalized, we often take criticism or bias directed at our company or client (if you work in an agency) personally. Take a breath. Examine the content objectively and consider whether you can address or clarify the situation with a press release, an official apology on behalf of the organization, or perhaps by offering an exclusive interview with the CEO. An objective examination may help shift the perspective entirely: leverage negative news to highlight the issues the company is actively working to address. Consider if there are connections between the criticism and the company's values or mission, and use the criticism as an opportunity to showcase the company's commitment to improvement.
If the negative media coverage is based on a lack of awareness, a misconception, or a prejudice, you need to engage and educate your audience. You can do this by creating and distributing informative and positive content that showcases your company's values, vision, and achievements. You can also use social media, online forums, or webinars to interact with your audience, answer their questions, address their concerns, and solicit their feedback. Make sure your engagement is genuine, helpful, and respectful.
People think PR is all about media stories. But media relations is just one part — granted, a big part — of PR. PR really has to begin inside your organization. So when you have received negative attention in the media, it's also a good time to strengthen your internal communications. You want to make sure employees feel good and that they are able to communicate your message and be your best ambassadors.
If the negative media coverage is ongoing or recurring, you need to monitor and measure its impact on your company and your audience. You can do this by using media monitoring tools, social listening tools, or surveys to track and analyze the volume, tone, and sentiment of the media coverage and the public opinion. You can also use metrics such as web traffic, social media engagement, customer satisfaction, or sales to evaluate the effectiveness of your PR efforts. Make sure your monitoring and measurement are regular, comprehensive, and objective.
Sometimes, negative discourse doesn't immediately impact a company's sales. It's essential to monitor both media coverage and social media while gauging feedback from the sales team and customer service. Is the feedback they receive consistent with the storm in the media? There may also be contradictions: at times, consumers may rally behind a brand amidst a media storm. Combining these perspectives can sometimes weave a core message that transcends criticism and steers towards better times.
If the negative media coverage is a learning opportunity or a catalyst for change, you need to learn and improve from it. You can do this by conducting a post-mortem analysis, identifying the root causes, the gaps, and the lessons of the issue, and implementing the necessary changes, improvements, or innovations in your company. You can also communicate your actions, progress, and results to your audience, and demonstrate your commitment to excellence and transparency. Make sure your learning and improvement are continuous, proactive, and visible.
Negative PR is much more easily mitigated or managed if you have an informed stakeholder community and a culture, ethos, or ethics-base that's grounded (and on which you can call). Sh*t happens sadly, but *how* you deal with it and how quickly and authentically you communicate will make or break you. Old-world examples but just think about Perrier water and Cadburys (the listeria scare specifically). Consumers want you to be on their side, to care more about them than anything else, and to be human. It's not masses more complicated than that really...