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