As the demand for plant-based brands and products continues to grow, a crisis of any kind can have long-lasting and damaging impacts on your business. That’s why adding crisis management to your vegan public relations strategy is one of the best moves to make in 2023. Plans will vary depending on the situation. However, here are some universal dos and don’ts that can help get you started:

Do: Have a plan. Don’t: Give in to knee-jerk reactions.

Stress can stir up a lot of emotions, but you should avoid any sort of lashing out or unorganized responses. This can make both the short- and long-term damage from a crisis worse and even create new problems in conjunction. Getting your ship sailing smoothly again depends on having a strong plan.

This step should be done before a crisis ever happens. As the saying goes, ‘prevention is the best cure,’ and proactive crisis management can save your company both time and money by putting a stop to a crisis before it starts. You’ll want to appoint a response team to ensure the right people are speaking on behalf of your company. Regularly get together to assess risks, brainstorm the best ways to respond, and set protocols in place for the quickest responses possible.

Do: Have organized messaging. Don’t: Over-communicate or go radio silent.

Planning includes figuring out messaging. Think about the most transparent way to address the situation and what your company has done or will do about it. No one expects you to be perfect, but they will expect you to be human. Honesty and accountability will go a long way.

There is such thing as saying too much, however. Do not give concrete answers, for instance, if there is a chance you will have to backpedal later. Responses can also be confusing if there are too many sources of information. Select your spokesperson and set rules for both internal and external communication. This will further ensure uniformity and aid your credibility.

Do: Assess and adjust for the future. Don’t: Dwell on the situation.

We know that responding to a crisis is unpleasant, but the best path is the one ahead of you. People can forgive and forget, but they will remember how you conducted yourself. Take what you’ve learned and use it to adjust your policies for a better future.

Building an effective crisis management process is just one of the many things we specialize at here at Orange Orchard. If you’re ready to take the first step toward more peace of mind, contact us today online or by calling (865) 977-1973.