4 Steps to a Successful PR Recovery

At this point, we’ve all seen and read about PR mistakes and crises. From a product slip-up to an offensive tweet, a PR crisis can come from anyone, but the one thing that can tie these events together is the way you try to recover and solve the issue. With a little grace and mindful thinking, you can get through almost any situation.

Step 1: Own up To Your Mistake

The best thing to do when it’s clear you’re part of the problem is to own your mistake. For example, imagine you’re attending a party and spilling a drink. What type of reaction should you have? First, you apologize for your mistake, then clean it up. This is a quick reaction to something that is your fault. Then, addressing the analogy to the ones affected shows our sincerity. People want to reason to forgive.

Step 2: Make the Apology Personal, not Robotic

Make your apology personal. A formal response can be seen as insincere and lacking empathy. A great example of a fun way to apologize was when Domino’s launched a “Pizza Turnaround” campaign. In this campaign, they would acknowledge poor feedback and then try to get those same customers back in to see how they improved in response. This not only engaged customers and the media positively but also showed the personality behind the company. It was a memorable, sincere response that left customers feeling more listened to and valued.

Step 3: Grow From Every Mistake

Doing damage control isn’t the only part of PR recovery. Make each mistake a growing moment for the brand and showcase the changes that occur with every misstep. The journey of your brand should be communicated to your audience. This creates engagement and dialogue that connects them with your brand’s story. 

Step 4: Re-Engage With Your Audience

As we previously discussed, it’s not about fixing things but how you engage with your audience in response to the situation and how you’re growing from the mistake. A great way to do this is by hosting live Q&A sessions, launching creative social media campaigns, and making fun of yourself. This shows the humanity in your company while creating an outlet for the public to talk directly with you. It lets the public know you’re not afraid to talk about the situation while remaining humble.

Bottom Line

Recovering from a PR Crisis takes transparency, an effort to fix your problem plans for future growth, and a creative way to engage with your audience. This has been a tried and true method of PR recovery that has been proven time and time again through my blog posts.