When a crisis hits, how you manage communication with your stakeholders can make or break your reputation. One essential principle of effective crisis management is: listen to your stakeholders. By doing so, you will not only navigate the crisis more effectively, but you’ll also safeguard your brand’s credibility. Here’s a structured approach to crisis management that focuses on stakeholder communication.
1. Identify your key stakeholders
During a crisis, stakeholders will vary depending on your business. Stakeholders can be anyone that is impacted by the crisis, for example, your customers, employees, suppliers and the wider public. Understanding who is impacted by the crisis allows you to tailor your responses to address their specific concerns. A one-size-fits-all communication strategy doesn’t work for crises, you need to know your audience to deliver the right message to the right people.
2. Prioritise open and honest communication
In a crisis, your stakeholders will want to see transparency and accountability. Always avoid speculation, focus on delivering the facts and keep your stakeholders informed. By acknowledging the issue, even if you don’t have all the answers, will show your stakeholders that you’re aware of, and most importantly, handling the situation with integrity. Providing regular updates as and when more information becomes available will encourage stakeholders to trust you and demonstrates that you’re taking the crisis seriously.
3. Actively listen to stakeholder concerns
Listening to your stakeholders goes beyond reading complaints or feedback. It’s about truly understanding how they’ve been impacted, what their needs, concerns and sentiment are towards the crisis, and, crucially, your brand too. You can actively listen by monitoring your communication channels, including social media, emails and customer service lines to gauge stakeholder sentiment.
Engage in two-way communication by responding to questions and concerns directly. This shows your stakeholders that you value their opinion and that their voices are being heard.
Stakeholder feedback is a powerful tool, as it gives you insight that you can use to adjust your communication strategy and crisis response plan. By reacting to your stakeholders, whether that’s accommodating their requests or changing your approach, you show that you value their input, which in turn means they are more likely to trust your brand.
4. Create a crisis response team
Communication is incredibly important during a crisis. Create a team to monitor stakeholder sentiment to track how stakeholders are reacting to your crisis response, and manage communications across all channels. Responses to enquiries and questions should be quick, professional and consistent across all communication channels. Your crisis team should also provide regular reports and stakeholder feedback to the senior leadership team. A well organised crisis response team ensures that your communication remains consistent and effective, which should reduce the risk of mixed messages.
5. Follow up after the crisis
Once the crisis is under control, your communication efforts shouldn’t end there. Following up with stakeholders is essential for rebuilding trust and showing accountability.
Thank your stakeholders. Express gratitude for their patience and understanding during the crisis. Share what your brand has learnt from the crisis and what steps you’ll be taking to prevent similar issues in the future. Maintain consistent communication post-crisis to show that you are committed to long-term improvements.
Listening to your stakeholders isn’t just a reactive measure, it’s a proactive strategy that builds trust, accountability, and long-term loyalty. By prioritising active listening and transparent communication, you demonstrate that your brand is addressing the immediate issue and is also committed to learning from the experience. Crises are opportunities to reinforce your commitment to your stakeholders. Turn moments of uncertainty into opportunities for growth and strengthened relationships.