Protecting your Reputation: Crisis Communications Plans for Associations, NonProfits & Charities

January 22, 2011 – Mark Buzan's PR & Public Affairs Spot on the Web

Coming up with a plan to deal with communications crisis requires strategy

With the rise of social media, association executives, legal professionals, and those suspicious of the risks involved for an organization's reputation seem to be raising more concerns about the risks to a nonprofit organisation's reputation. Undoubtedly, there are risks but they are manageable and in may circumstances, avoidable. The mistake: Having social media sites without preparing for disaster.

From a recent study I found, 34% of chief communications officers polled say they experienced a social-media reputation attack in the past 12 months. They now happen so often, they've earned the title of a “flash crisis.”

A flash crisis happens when a negative social media communication via a Facebook post, Tweet or negative Yelp review goes viral and the winds of chatter whip it into a firestorm. Before you know it, a social media site has spawned a serious public relations issue.

The trouble is, according to the studies, only one in 3 organizations say they've prepared a standing strategy to tackle reputational threats from social media. A crisis does not usually disappear quickly, especially if there is litigation or law enforcement involved. An association needs to have crisis counsel with it every step of the way to measure what is happening with the media and public opinion ensuring that the crisis does not negatively affect a nonprofit organisation going forward.

This has me wondering though, certainly social media has its risks but in truth, risks to your organization have always existed and will likely continue regardless of social media or not. But this should hardly be enough reason to avoid being present and communicating with your target audiences. In a blog posting and video of last year, I made the point that if your NGO is afraid the presence of social media opens your organization up to criticism, you're actually very naive to believe that the potential for criticism didn't exist beforehand in your media relations, public relations, or other aspects of your brand awareness.

Click here to view my video response to the "risk" of social media

So, what are communications strategies involved in preparing your association, nonprofit organisation, or charity for a crisis that has the potential of damaging your reputation? When I work with organisations through a communications crisis, I develop an ongoing crisis communications plan ensuring it emerges from the crisis. This plan usually includes recommendations for changing or altering the way an non-profit associations conducts internal business in order to strengthen its public image. Other elements of best practices include:The difference is that communications nowadays with good preparation and strategic communications planning and communications crisis plans in place can ensure your association arises from the troubles and even comes out ahead.

Developing specific messaging and sound bytes to use in interviews
Develop talking points for an organisation's spokespeople to use internally and externally
Media training for your identified spokesperson to give media interviews to reporters on the crisis or even respond to bloggers
Meeting with law enforcement or legal counsel (if applicable) to determine the exact nature of any risks to non-profit's reputation
Monitoring of all media reports on the crisis, including blogs, websites and mainstream media reports

Through this process, I've found that providing a constant and steady presence throughout all phases of a crisis gives assurance to an organisation so they can have assistance and counsel at a moment’s notice. Your best strategy is making certain you do not have to figure things out on your own or face the media without the aid of a calm and seasoned crisis communications professional by your side. A crisis is an opportunity to not only deflect negative publicity, but to actually increase public confidence and to strengthen public and private support for the agency going forward.

So, what has worked for your non-profit, association, NGO or charity? What challenges or worries do you face should a crisis or risk to your reputation arise? Let me know!

Mark

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Mark Buzan is Principal of Action Strategies, a Lobbying, Communications and PR Consultant for non-profits. If you have questions on how you feel your nonprofit organization, association or NGO could benefit from strategic communications, or public relations services or even undertaking a grassroots advocacy initiative. Subscribe now to Action Strategies' Lobbying or public relations tips newsletter at http://actionstrategies.ca/about/newsletter-subscribe/

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