How to Handle Negative Publicity

No business wants to be in a situation where they are receiving bad press. However, sometimes it happens and your company should be prepared to handle it in the most efficient way possible. It’s much better to be prepared than to assume that negative publicity won’t happen to your business. By planning for a crisis, you can alleviate much of the stress and uncertainty if it does occur.

Why is My Business Getting Bad Press?

Journalists have a responsibility to cover stories in a balanced manner, but this doesn’t always protect businesses from the fallout of negative publicity. Faulty or unsafe products, accidents at work and repeated or serious complaints from customers are all common sources of bad press.

Respond Honestly                                                        

The best thing you can do when your business receives the wrong kind of press attention is to respond honestly. It’s not a good idea to focus on covering your own back, because your customer base will usually see this as a disingenuous response. Instead, own up if you are in the wrong and apologise. By facing the situation head on, your critics will see that you are interested in resolving the issue and doing what is best for your clients.

Communication is Key

If your company finds itself in the middle of a PR crisis, communication is the key to effectively managing the situation. It’s usually advisable to issue a statement, detailing your side of the story. Hiding from the press can unfortunately give the impression either that your business is in the wrong, or that it doesn’t care, and this won’t help your cause at all. It’s also important to make sure that the head of the business is in charge of speaking to the press, not employers whose statements can be less easily managed.

Positive Steps

Bad press actually offers your business a constructive opportunity to show the best of itself. The public can be very forgiving if a company proves itself to be humble and willing to apologise for any wrongdoing. This is also a time where the generation of positive PR is very important. Improving your company practices and getting involved with charity work or community projects can give your image a much-needed overhaul. A dose of bad publicity could even be helpful to your business in the long-term.

If you want to know more about preventing and managing negative publicity, why not consider a course? Choose a firm that specialises in crisis media management, like Media Mentor.