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Don’t eat the spinach

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It happens in a flash. You are just going about your day, conducting business as usual, when suddenly the day is anything but the usual. No doubt that’s how the CEOs of River Ranch Fresh Foods, Natural Section Foods and the other spinach wholesalers felt when the E. coli outbreak in 21 states was linked back to their products.

This isn’t a case of wrongdoing. As the best-selling book tells us, sometimes bad things happen to good people. But in a world in which the media and public opinion can flame up in the time it takes CNN to send out a NewsAlert, what is the best way to respond if you find yourself in the hot seat?

If a scandal threatens your organization, you won’t have time to call a staff meeting or create a crisis communications plan. How you respond in the initial hours and days will set the stage for how the public will perceive you for the foreseeable future.

When faced with a crisis, remember these steps:

1. Take care of victims or perceived victims.

2. Help discover the root of the problem and fix it.

3. Notify all stakeholders.

4. “No comment” is not an option. Be accessible to the media.

5. Rehearse critical press interviews.

6. Get it over with. Take time to think about your response, but don’t stall.

7. Tell the truth. Even if it’s bad. Actually, especially if it’s bad.

In most cases, people are scared. They are frantic for information, they are being exposed to misinformation, and they are jumping to far-stretching conclusions. You can ease their minds, set the record straight and restore your company’s good name if you respond quickly and demonstrate a genuine empathy and candor.

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and the author of “99.3 Random Acts of Marketing.” He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com.

© Drew McLellan