5 Essential Steps to Handle Negative Press for Your Business

It’s the call no business leader wants to receive – a journalist is about to publish a negative story about your organisation. Your instinct might be to bury your head in the sand and hope it all blows over. While this approach occasionally works, most situations require swift, strategic action to protect your reputation.

As crisis communications specialists, we’ve guided countless organisations through media storms, from supply chain controversies to leadership challenges. Here’s our strategic five-step approach to handling negative press effectively.

Step 1: Your Emergency Response Guide for the First Critical Hours

The first 24 hours are crucial. Begin by assembling your crisis response team – this should include senior management, legal counsel, and communications experts. What if you don’t have a dedicated communications team? This is where an experienced PR partner can prove invaluable.

Your immediate priorities should be:

• Gathering all available facts about the situation, including any documentation or evidence that might support your position.
• Identifying potential risks and implications for your business, stakeholders, and industry relationships.
• Briefing key internal stakeholders, ensuring everyone understands their role in the response.
• Establishing a clear chain of command for decisions and communications flow.

Remember, your employees are likely to hear about the situation through external channels. Have an internal communication strategy ready before the story breaks. This might include prepared statements, FAQs for team leaders, and guidelines for social media usage during the crisis.

Step 2: Building Your Defence Through Strategic Fact-Gathering

Thorough fact-gathering is essential for crafting an effective response. Create a detailed timeline of events and document everything. This helps identify any gaps in your understanding and ensures consistency in your communications.

Key questions to answer:

• What exactly happened and when? Document the complete sequence of events.
• Who was involved? Include all relevant parties, both internal and external.
• What actions have already been taken? Detail any immediate responses or remedial measures.
• What evidence supports or challenges the negative claims? Gather documentation, correspondence, and witness accounts.
• Who are the affected stakeholders? Map out everyone who might be affected – from your team and clients to your supply chain partners and local community stakeholders

This information forms the foundation of your response strategy and helps prevent contradictory statements that could damage credibility. Keep updating this fact base as new information emerges – it’s a living document that should evolve with the situation.

Step 3: Creating a Powerful Communication Strategy That Works

With a clear understanding of the situation, develop your communication strategy. This isn’t about spinning the story – it’s about presenting your position clearly and honestly while acknowledging any legitimate concerns.

Your strategy should include:

• Key messages that address the core issues, backed by concrete facts and actions.
• Specific responses to likely questions, including challenging ones you’d rather avoid.
• Designated spokespersons and their roles, with clear guidelines on who speaks about what.
• Communication channels to be used, considering both traditional and digital media.
• Timing of responses, including contingency plans for various scenarios.

The tone of your response is vital. Be professional, factual, and empathetic where appropriate. Avoid defensive language or attacking critics, as this often backfires. Instead, focus on demonstrating your commitment to addressing any legitimate issues raised.

Step 4: Managing Media Relations to Protect Your Reputation

When implementing your strategy, timing and channel selection are critical. Sometimes, a proactive approach is best; other times, a measured response through appropriate channels serves better.

Consider these factors:

• The severity and accuracy of the allegations, and their potential impact on your business.
• Your relationship with the media outlet and their likely approach to the story.
• The potential impact on different stakeholders, including long-term relationship implications.
• Your organisation’s overall media strategy and how this response fits within it.

If engaging with journalists, provide clear, concise statements. Ensure all spokespeople are thoroughly briefed and maintain consistent messaging across all channels. And remember that journalists work to deadlines – being responsive and accessible can help ensure your side of the story is fairly represented.

Step 5: Monitoring and Adapting Your Response Strategy

The media landscape moves quickly so monitor coverage across traditional and social media channels, tracking both the reach and tone of coverage.

This helps you:

• Identify emerging angles or issues before they escalate into larger problems.
• Gauge public sentiment and adjust your messaging accordingly.
• Assess the effectiveness of your response and make necessary adjustments.
• Adapt your strategy as needed based on stakeholder feedback and media coverage.

Sometimes, what seems like a crisis can become an opportunity to demonstrate transparency, responsibility, and commitment to improvement. We’ve seen organisations emerge stronger from negative press situations by handling them effectively and learning from the experience.

Being Prepared for Tomorrow’s Headlines Today

While these steps provide a framework for handling negative press, the best approach is preparation. A robust Crisis Response Protocol can mean the difference between a minor issue and a major reputation crisis.

Our crisis communications team can help develop a customised protocol for your organisation, including:

• Response frameworks for different scenarios, tailored to your industry and risks.
• Pre-approved messaging templates that can be quickly adapted to specific situations.
• Stakeholder communication plans, ensuring no important audience is overlooked.
• Media training for key personnel, including practical interview techniques.
• Regular desktop exercises to test and refine your approach.

Ready to Protect Your Reputation?

Don’t wait for a crisis to start thinking about your response strategy. Speak to our crisis management team today:

📞 Call us: 0161 927 3131
✉️ Email us: hello@thisisrms.co.uk

Want to learn more about managing your organisation’s reputation? Explore our expertise in crisis communications and media relations.

Looking for IMMEDIATE Crisis Communications Support?

Contact Ruth Shearn on 07881 772960.