Digital Crisis Communication Management

Institute of Directors Pall Mall London

17 September 2013

[email protected]

Call 07701 059726

www.sallyannerogers.com

2005 2013


Research by Forrester

  905m users compared to just 15m in 2010

  Sales: 122m 2012 rise to 381m 2017

  BYO and company-issued increasingly important


August Headline with tablets predicted to overtake PCs in December (84.1 Tablets v 83.1 PCs)


2012-2017: Tablet growth predicted to slow as large screen smartphones (phablets) become the norm


  Crowdsourced through Kickstarter

  Their most successful project ever: Raised more than $10 million from 85,000 backers

  April to August 2013: 275,000 orders (190,000 pre orders)

Wearable technology: Pebble


Wearable technology





Two photos every minute to give a view of your day!


GOV.UK – Digital transformation

[email protected]

Call 07701 059726

The Negatives



Accountability




Cyber bullying

Department for Education:

“The law is clear, what is illegal offline is also illegal online.”

Association of Chief Police Officers Media Officer, Andy Trotter:

“Responsibility for abuse on social networks is shared between the social media companies, the police and the users of those sites.”

“Where there is harassment against an individual, that should be referred to the police. Very serious campaigns that some people continue suffer are something the police will take action over.”

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Call 07701 059726

Controlling your digital message




Real time news becomes reality… As soon as anything happens it’s all over Twitter

News travels fast…bad news faster; the media is all over it and you


The Dangers of Social Media

  (Mis)information overload

  Crowdsourced confusion

  Lack of verification

  Delegation of trust – people repeating misinformation

  But in times of crisis people still turn to the trusted voices of the BBC, ITV1, Channel 4 News, as the oracles – choose them as a collaborator if possible


One: Get your Comms Team together

  Have a well-trained, dedicated Response Team with practice scenarios once a term

  Be on Twitter – it’s a valuable news source and a good way to manage your message

  If the organisation has more than one account, it should be clear which is the official news channel reporting on behalf of the establishment; this should be managed by a fully trained member of staff

  If staff are using any social media in a personal capacity, declare a ‘response embargo’ on anything to do with the situation


Two: Social media crisis comms toolbox Decide:

1  Who has sign off on social media channels in a crisis

2  How your tone of voice and messaging will present

3  Resource for social platform/s management over several days

Plan and Implement:

1  Pre-crisis: Initial event: Maintenance: Resolution: Evaluation

2  Create case studies as useful training exercises for staff


Three: Social Media is transparent…have an answer for everything

ALWAYS think like a journalist

  Who? What? Why? When? Where? How?

  Be honest

  Be human

  Be visible


Four: Be effective digital crisis communicators

1  Quick to first response – illustrate immediately awareness of the situation, investigating and taking control

2  Establish and update a single source of truth and become the reliable voice

3  Remember stakeholders: ALWAYS inform staff first and then parents; remember pupils now use Twitter

4  Tap into digital partners and the community help to carry your message


Five: Remember the Five Rs

1  Regret

2  Reassurance

3  Responsibility

4  Remedy

5  Restitution (Reputation)

Important to remember using digital: Real people = Real response


  It should marry seamlessly with the organisation’s Vision, Aim, Goals and Objectives

  It should form an integral part of the organisation’s traditional PR, Communication and Marketing strategy

  It should have its own set of Goals to support other PR and comms activity to help deliver the organisation’s Objectives

  In the very near future, everything will be digital; we should all be prepared for this

And finally…digital is not a separate entity

sallyannerogers.com [email protected] @SallyAnne_R Call 07701 059726

Business

Digital Crisis Communication Management