5 steps you must take to ensure successful crisis management

Whenever something happens in the news that impacts your business, either positively or negatively, your company has an opportunity. Today’s marketing department needs to have a real-time mindset to be able to react when news occurs, according to David Meerman Scott, whose latest book, “Real-time Marketing and PR” was just published. Further, because all kinds of things happen unexpectedly, it’s important to have an up-to-date crisis-management plan in place.

To this end, here are five points to help you develop a flexible crisis-management plan because, without the ability to quickly mobilize the appropriate staff and other resources, the crisis can easily escalate. Here are my recommendations:

1. Have listening and/or social media monitoring tools in place. These analytical instruments can provide critical information regarding how prospects, customers and the general public are reacting to and talking about your brands and/or company. It’s important to pay attention when the tone and content of the conversation change. Scott recommends incorporating company data analysis that monitors the combination of social media activity with real-time news and website and other company-related volumes.