Effectively Using Social Media in Your Business:

Crisis Communications

Chris Lukach

Anne Klein Communications Group, LLC

January 19, 2010

Why are social media important in a crisis?

A RARE opportunity to control your message

A means of rapidly responding

In a crisis, a window into your audiences’

reactions

May even give you a “heads up” about a crisis

Why are social media important in a crisis?

Quell brewing discontent

Mobilize potential ambassadors

When the news vans leave, share “soft”

follow-up news

The story breaks …

Article in the The New York Times

Re-posted in many blogs, including

consumer watchdog blogs

Gauging your audience

Audiences voice their opinions immediately

Article/blog comments

More than 10,000 “tweets”

Instant Facebook groups

Instantly measure the impact of the article

Responding rapidly

Nature abhors a vacuum …

Don’t let others fill the void

Demonstrate transparency

Controlling the message

Post updates that you control

Communicate with high-interest audiences

that “matter”

Mobilizing advocates/defusing discontent

Respond to criticisms head on

Give your advocates what they need to carry

the message further

When the dust settles …

Get back to business

Remember …

A social media strategy needs to be in place

before a crisis occurs

The best way to learn about social media is

by immersion

Start by monitoring, then test the waters