When a crisis strikes, one of the most important decisions you face is the timing of your response. Proactive and reactive media outreach strategies have the potential to impact how your organization weathers the storm. Knowing which approach to take requires a quick, calm assessment of the situation and evaluation of all possible outcomes for the groups involved.
Proactive crisis communications are messages that are sent before your organization is contacted by the press, while reactive crisis communications involve messages that are made in response to media inquiries or public backlash. Both strategies have their merits and their risks.
Before you consider proactive and reactive media outreach during a communications crisis, your first step should be to review who is assigned to your crisis communications team. Do your employees know who those individuals are and how to reach them in an emergency?
The crisis team should be the gatekeepers of all communication with the press or public, whether proactive or reactive. Be sure to identify these spokespeople clearly to your staff, so your employees know who to contact during a crisis.
Use this guide to determine whether proactive or reactive media outreach is the best strategy for your communications team during a crisis.
1. Benefits to Proactive Crisis Communications & Media Outreach
A carefully crafted, proactive media statement and regular, ongoing communication with members of the press during a crisis demonstrates transparency and compassion from leadership. Proactive media outreach builds trust with the press and the general public. A proactive approach also shows that you are both aware of and in control of the situation, even if there are elements of the crisis that are still unfolding.
2. Potential Risks of Proactive Crisis Communications & Media Outreach
If you decide to speak proactively on an issue, you may generate unwanted media attention. However, by training your crisis communications team and spokespeople in advance, they’ll be prepared to handle aggressive inquiries that may come your way.
There are situations where proactive media outreach may not be advisable. For instance, if your communications crisis involves legal issues, you’ll need to work closely with your attorney on proactive or reactive statements to ensure you are only sharing information that is legally permitted and not incriminating.
3. Benefits to Reactive Crisis Communications & Media Outreach
In some scenarios, a carefully worded, reactive statement may help calm negative commentary by appropriately answering questions raised about the situation without elevating it to an urgent level.
If you react with a written statement, you have full control over the language you use to describe the crisis and can be as brief or detailed as you wish. Your statement is your statement, and your chances of being misquoted are less so than if you opt to conduct a full-length interview.
A reactive crisis communications strategy can avoid unnecessary attention to an issue and keep your organization out of the spotlight.
4. Potential Risks of Reactive Crisis Communications & Media Outreach
If you do not issue a reactive statement quickly enough in response to an inquiry, you risk appearing unprepared or worse, at fault. Check out our PR Failure Newsletter on The Crown’s Communication Crisis for an example of how a delayed and vague response can result in public mistrust.
Always take time to weigh the pros and cons of proactive or reactive outreach with your crisis team as soon as possible after the crisis is identified. The better option isn’t always apparent, but maintaining honesty and sincerity in either type of outreach will go a long way.
Evaluate your options with your crisis team as soon as possible after identifying a crisis. The right approach might not always be obvious. Use community feedback and listening tools to support you in this process.
Still feeling like you need more crisis support or further training? Contact our team today to learn about the customizable and on-call crisis communication support we provide for our clients.