Page 49 - GS140101
P. 49
Education
Quick tips from a marketing mogul company's overall priorities are when managing a crisis.
It should contain up-to-date contact information for each
In a world of instant "audience," such as your ISOs, merchants, staff and, of
course, targeted media.
communication, things go wrong For each audience, include what method will be used to
communicate (email, text message or personal phone
By Nancy Drexler call) and from whom that communication should come.
Acquired Marketing Distribute this plan to all staff members. It will, in essence,
tell each of them, "If this happens, notify this person." That
click happens quickly. We've all hit "Send" person will notify key team members, or in serious cases,
when we meant to hit "Delete," and I'm cer- call a team meeting.
tainly not the only person to "Reply All" for a Contain
A response that was intended for just one person.
In today's digital world, we are vulnerable to split-second While it is always better to react to a crisis immediately, it is
clicks. Corporate giant JPMorgan Chase learned this the never a good idea to react impulsively. Your first objective is
hard way when it invited guests on Twitter to tweet ques- to define the impact of the crisis. Who already knows? Who
tions for its new Vice Chairman Jimmy Lee. will know soon enough? What is the maximum damage,
both financially and to your brand? And, of course, what
Some of the tweeted questions were: are the facts?
Regardless of who is right or wrong, your aim is always to
limit damage. Typically, this begins with acknowledgment
– a clear statement that you are aware of the issue and
applying all resources toward addressing it. But what
comes next? Should you offer sympathy? Apology?
Compensation? Should you deny the allegations outright?
Ignore them?
Sympathy can be a less expensive way to apologize and
shape opinion of the organization in crisis. Additionally, an
apology might open you up for legal consequences. So this
is the time to look at the facts and explore the ramifications
of each possible course of action.
If we use digital and social media, we must assume things
will go wrong. Here's how to be prepared. Determine exactly what your corporate response will
Anticipate be, and how it will be communicated. Sometimes a very
limited response is better than a broad response. Often, an
Expect the best, but prepare for the worst. Some "crises" in-person response is wiser than a written one. Always, a
are predictable: when you assess annual fees or compliance calm, consistent response is preferable to an emotional one.
fees, make leadership changes, or manage the latest Say what you mean, and mean what you say.
government regulation, assume there will be pushback. Communicate
But even good news can create a communications crisis. A
new product rollout will have glitches; a new hire will call In addition to messages you send to each of your impacted
that person's past into a public forum. audiences, communicating with staff is critical. Rumor and
innuendo can spread quickly through cubicles. Assure
Your organization's credibility and reputation will be staff that you are aware of, and in control of, the situation.
influenced by your response during these situations. Let them know how to respond to questions or issues. And
To react quickly and consistently, it is essential to have a inform them of what they should do if an issue seems to
communications plan in place. warrant an executive response.
Plan A reassuring tone will limit speculation and exaggeration.
Every company needs a crisis management team. These A clear, concise action plan will ensure a singularity of
teams should represent decision-makers from all key message. People will talk. Your goal is to influence how
departments: operations, risk management, customer they talk about you. And that is as simple as planning
service, marketing and sales. Legal counsel on staff might ahead.
also be included. Nancy Drexler is the President of Acquired Marketing, a boutique mar-
keting firm for businesses in the payments industry. To learn more about
As quickly as possible, pull your team together to produce what Acquired Marketing can do for you, visit www.acquiredmarketing.
an action plan. It should define what constitutes a crisis, com, call 917.743.5258 or email ndrexler@acquiredmarketing.com.
who to contact if a crisis becomes apparent and what your
49
Quick tips from a marketing mogul company's overall priorities are when managing a crisis.
It should contain up-to-date contact information for each
In a world of instant "audience," such as your ISOs, merchants, staff and, of
course, targeted media.
communication, things go wrong For each audience, include what method will be used to
communicate (email, text message or personal phone
By Nancy Drexler call) and from whom that communication should come.
Acquired Marketing Distribute this plan to all staff members. It will, in essence,
tell each of them, "If this happens, notify this person." That
click happens quickly. We've all hit "Send" person will notify key team members, or in serious cases,
when we meant to hit "Delete," and I'm cer- call a team meeting.
tainly not the only person to "Reply All" for a Contain
A response that was intended for just one person.
In today's digital world, we are vulnerable to split-second While it is always better to react to a crisis immediately, it is
clicks. Corporate giant JPMorgan Chase learned this the never a good idea to react impulsively. Your first objective is
hard way when it invited guests on Twitter to tweet ques- to define the impact of the crisis. Who already knows? Who
tions for its new Vice Chairman Jimmy Lee. will know soon enough? What is the maximum damage,
both financially and to your brand? And, of course, what
Some of the tweeted questions were: are the facts?
Regardless of who is right or wrong, your aim is always to
limit damage. Typically, this begins with acknowledgment
– a clear statement that you are aware of the issue and
applying all resources toward addressing it. But what
comes next? Should you offer sympathy? Apology?
Compensation? Should you deny the allegations outright?
Ignore them?
Sympathy can be a less expensive way to apologize and
shape opinion of the organization in crisis. Additionally, an
apology might open you up for legal consequences. So this
is the time to look at the facts and explore the ramifications
of each possible course of action.
If we use digital and social media, we must assume things
will go wrong. Here's how to be prepared. Determine exactly what your corporate response will
Anticipate be, and how it will be communicated. Sometimes a very
limited response is better than a broad response. Often, an
Expect the best, but prepare for the worst. Some "crises" in-person response is wiser than a written one. Always, a
are predictable: when you assess annual fees or compliance calm, consistent response is preferable to an emotional one.
fees, make leadership changes, or manage the latest Say what you mean, and mean what you say.
government regulation, assume there will be pushback. Communicate
But even good news can create a communications crisis. A
new product rollout will have glitches; a new hire will call In addition to messages you send to each of your impacted
that person's past into a public forum. audiences, communicating with staff is critical. Rumor and
innuendo can spread quickly through cubicles. Assure
Your organization's credibility and reputation will be staff that you are aware of, and in control of, the situation.
influenced by your response during these situations. Let them know how to respond to questions or issues. And
To react quickly and consistently, it is essential to have a inform them of what they should do if an issue seems to
communications plan in place. warrant an executive response.
Plan A reassuring tone will limit speculation and exaggeration.
Every company needs a crisis management team. These A clear, concise action plan will ensure a singularity of
teams should represent decision-makers from all key message. People will talk. Your goal is to influence how
departments: operations, risk management, customer they talk about you. And that is as simple as planning
service, marketing and sales. Legal counsel on staff might ahead.
also be included. Nancy Drexler is the President of Acquired Marketing, a boutique mar-
keting firm for businesses in the payments industry. To learn more about
As quickly as possible, pull your team together to produce what Acquired Marketing can do for you, visit www.acquiredmarketing.
an action plan. It should define what constitutes a crisis, com, call 917.743.5258 or email ndrexler@acquiredmarketing.com.
who to contact if a crisis becomes apparent and what your
49
