Unfortunately, the reputational crisis is something that all companies are exposed to at some point, especially with the relevance that the digital environment has today. Considering the impact that it can have on the continuity of a brand, on its clients and promoters, and its employees, having a good reputational crisis management plan is essential for every business.

Importance of a reputational crisis management plan

All people who run a business know the importance of having a good business plan. In which the steps to follow to achieve the business objectives can be detailed. However, the reputational crisis management plan is something that usually receives less attention. Crisis management is not something that can be left to chance. It requires planning to reduce the impact and be able to recover the path of growth.

It is important to remember that the reputational crisis management plan must be drawn up before it occurs. To be prepared in the event of unforeseen events. In addition, this is what will allow immediate action to be taken. Reducing the consequences of the crisis and being able to regain control of the situation. On the other hand, it is important to bear in mind that a plan elaborated in detail can allow simulations to be carried out, which help to identify the results that a potential crisis may have on the company.

The parts of the reputational crisis management plan

Now that we have seen the importance of the formulation of this document, let’s see the different parts that any reputational crisis management plan must contain.

First part

The first part will be made up of the objectives. It is the instance in which it is going to explain what is sought with this management plan and in what moments or situations it is necessary to apply it. It is the part that will determine who the document is intended for and who are the people who must take care of the procedures.

Second part

Once the objectives and the target people of the plan have been established, it is essential to understand the types of challenges that the company may encounter. In this sense, what must be done is to define the crises that may be a potential threat to the company, describing them in a general way.

Third part

As we know, when a crisis occurs, it is essential to act quickly to minimize its impact and its negative consequences. For this reason, we are going to use this part to generate the communication protocol to follow in the event of a crisis. Including here not only what should be communicated and with what means or platforms, but also who will be the people in charge of such communication.

Fourth part

After the above, we will continue with the action plan. Here, in addition to the communication plan, reference will be made to the effective actions. These must be carried out to reduce the impact of the reputational crisis and to be able to recover the good reputation of the brand. In many of these cases, it may be necessary to include in this part the names and tasks of the people who are going to be in charge of each of these actions.

At 202 Digital Reputation, we are a specialized digital reputation agency. We protect the reputation of your brand and develop effective crisis management plans if it may occur. In addition, through 360° management, we recover and maintain your brand’s reputation to continue to meet its growth objectives.