This document discusses crisis communication strategies for social media. It provides examples of how Ford responded to negative online comments about a cease and desist letter to a fan site. It emphasizes the importance of being prepared with a crisis communication plan that identifies spokespeople, processes, and protocols. It also stresses the need to monitor social media and respond where relevant conversations are occurring in order to manage potential crises.

1. Crisis Communication 2.0
#SBFLA
Heather Whaling
heather@gebencommunication.com
prtini.com
twitter.com/prTini
linkedin.com/in/heatherwhaling

3. The Ranger Station Fire
• 10-year old Ford fan site receives a cease &
desist letter
– Remove the site
– Write a $5,000 check to Ford
• The Ranger Station blogs about it
– 916 comments in less than 24 hours
• 1:30 a.m.: @ScottMonty receives the first
tweet about the situation with a link to
another angry fan site
• Responds at 7:29 a.m.: “Thanks for letting
me know. I’m looking into that this morning.”

4. 10:54 a.m. @pblackshaw I
was made aware of it this
morning and I’m tracking
down our trademark counsel
to weight in on it. Not good.
10:55 a.m.
@badgergraveling I’m on it.
Getting our legal team’s
perspective and trying to
stop a PR nightmare.
4:55 p.m. @KrisColvin We’re
not shutting the site down.
We’re just asking that they
stop selling counterfeit
material. #Ford
1:32 p.m. Excuse me for
just one moment. CALGON
TAKE ME AWAAAAAYYY!!
Thanks. I’m all set now.
138 tweets from
@ScottMonty

5. The Saga Continues …
• Scott asked his followers to retweet updates
– For every person who retweeted one of Scott’s
messages, it was made available to ~747
additional people
• Instead of just tweeting the official
statement, Scott called the site’s owner, who
updated the blog.
– Scott left Ford’s official comment on that post
• If Scott didn’t have pre-existing credibility in
online circles, crisis would have been much,
much worse.
Credit: David Plouffe, www.ronamok.com

6. Do you ignore a ringing phone?Do you ignore a ringing phone?
Social media is the new phone. You canSocial media is the new phone. You can’’t ignore it.t ignore it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tracemeek/

7. From BusinessWeek:
“Many companies are being victimized
by social media rather than capitalizing
on it because they're too slow and ill-
equipped to react to negative
comments that can damage their
brands.”

8. Identifying a Crisis
• Death/accident
• Crime
• Fire/natural disasters
• Embezzlement
• Bankruptcy
• Inappropriate
communication
• Controversial
personnel decisions
• Online comments
• Product flaws
• Bad customer service
• Hacked website
• Negative reviews
• Your turn: What else?

9. Effective way to
reach the
masses?
How to convey
key messages?
How to prepare?
Media of
concern?
Google Ad WordsLetter to the editor
Video on YouTube,
blog post, updated
home page
CEO quoted in paper
Pre-approved tweets
& status updates
Pre-approved release
Blogs, Twitter,
Facebook, YouTube &
other online outlets
Traditional media
NowThen

10. What You Need to Know
• Lightning fast
• No 9-5 or weekend breaks
• Broadcasting “canned” messages won’t
work
• Search results define reputation
If you’re not quick, you’re not relevant.
tweetable tip:

11. From the Wall Street Journal:
"If you just go to Twitter when you
have a crisis, you will have no followers
and no credibility. The key to using
Twitter effectively is to build trust with
people who are relevant to your
business.” -- Shel Israel

12. Preparation = Success
• Before a crisis happens:
– Build a strong online network
– Establish relationships with journalists
– Train the online team to spot a potential
crisis
– Identify industry- or geographic-specific
online influencers
Don’t wait for a crisis to strike to build a your network.
tweetable tip:

13. 5 Steps to Develop a Crisis
Communication Plan

14. Step 1: Establish the Team
• Management
• Legal
• Operations
• Labor relations
• Department heads impacted by
crisis
• PR (internal and external)
• Community manager
New addition to the crisis team: An online spokesperson
tweetable tip:

15. Step 2: Identify & Prepare
Spokespeople
• Media training
– Convey key messages
– Block & bridge
– Comfort with cameras
– Never say “No Comment”
• Online spokesperson/community
manager

16. Step 3: Develop Processes &
Protocols
• Chain of command
• Approval processes
• If a reporter “scoops” story - what’s the
appropriate response?
• How will you respond if a crisis appears
to be brewing online?
Avoid wasting time in a crisis by creating clear processes in advance.
tweetable tip:

17. Step 4: Understand PR 2.0
• Social media is powerful. How we integrate
the tools determines success
– Execs need to be as well versed as the 22 YO
• Who is saying what? And where?
• Free online monitoring tools:
– Google Alerts
– Addict-o-Matic
– Hootesuite/Tweetdeck
– Blogpulse.com
Online monitoring is necessary during a crisis situation.
tweetable tip:

18. Search Queries to Monitor
• “product+sucks”
• “company+sucks”
• “die+company”
• “hate+company”
• “fail+company”
• “fail+product”
Monitor company name + terms like suck, fail & die to find unhappy
customers
tweetable tip:

19. • 20,000 “gripe sites” (end with sucks.com)*
– Only 2,000 sites end with stinks.com
• 35% of companies surveyed own the domain
name for their brand followed by “sucks”
Survey: Fairwinds, 2008

20. Case Study:
First Mariner Bank

21. Fish where the fish areFish where the fish are ……
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andres-colmen/

22. Where are conversations
happening?
• Blogs & comments
• Forums
• Social networks (including niche
networks)
• Customer networks/sites
• Groups
In a crisis, respond where the relevant conversations occur.
tweetable tip:

23. Online Tactics & Tools
• Update:
– Twitter
– Facebook
– Blog/Website
• Other tactics to consider:
– Live-stream a press conference (Ustream)
– Virtual blogger briefing
– Video update from CEO/spokesperson (Flip cam)
– Social media release (Pitchengine.com)
– Email
– “Dark” site
– Google AdWords

24. Step 5: Role Play
• Brainstorm potential crisis scenarios
• Create response templates
• Conduct crisis “drills”
Practice makes perfect. Prepare by conducting crisis drills.
tweetable tip:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/edenpictures/

25. Heather Whaling
www.GebenCommunication.com
heather@gebencommunication.com
@prTini
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Collaboration. Integration. Social Good.