Sourced from Forbes
In the always-on world of social media, a single corporate misstep can quickly escalate into a full-blown public relations crisis. Preventing long-term brand damage, however, starts before issues ever arise. Companies that take a thoughtful, proactive approach to reputation management by building positive PR are going to be better equipped to maintain and restore trust and credibility among stakeholders when challenges do surface.
Here, 20 members of Forbes Communications Council each share their No. 1 rule for clearing potential pitfalls to avoid a PR crisis. Follow their advice below to lay the foundations of a solid crisis response, including clear communication, smart planning and strong internal practices.
1. Contextualize And Mitigate Issues
Let’s establish first that every crisis starts as an issue—and those are two distinct points in crisis management. My top rule is to make sure we have the media intelligence and monitoring data to flag and contextualize the issue, which then allows us to address and resolve it before we get to full crisis mode. We need to do everything to mitigate the issue before it swells. – Gerry Tschopp, Experian
2. Adapt And Act With Integrity
The ability to foresee every PR crisis is a fallacy. Your ability to adapt and act with integrity, not clairvoyance, is the ultimate safeguard of your brand’s future. The sensible and strategic way to assess and prepare is to foster a crisis-ready culture. Focus on foundational frameworks and proactive reputation building by risk type. This operational muscle, fuelled by transparency, empowers true readiness. – Destiny Chambers
3. Keep Lines Of Communication Open
We make sure that leadership and our community understand that talking to the PR team is not the same as talking to the public. In fact, talking to us all of the time is a great way to allow us to help shape the discussion, pitch and secure coverage. Policy should always drive PR, but pitfalls are important to point out throughout policy creation, so open lines of communication are key to success. – Sayar Lonial, NYU Tandon School of Engineering
4. Proactively Identify ‘Red Flag’ Issues
The key is to proactively identify potential issues from the perspective of all key stakeholders—internal and external. Anticipate how decisions or communications might be interpreted differently and flag “red flags” early on. When PR is embedded into core business functions, it becomes a strategic tool, not just a reactive one. It strengthens trust, protects brand reputation and ensures brand consistency – Mabel Adeteye, Wema Bank
5. Pressure-Test Messaging Before It Goes Public
Always pressure test messaging before it goes public. Do not assume your audience will interpret your message the way you intended. Pressure-testing internally across teams—such as legal, comms, DEI, product and even frontline employees—and externally with friendly customers helps identify potential misinterpretations and avoid language that could be perceived as misleading or problematic. – Ritu Kapoor, Observe.ai
6. Create An Absolutely Transparent Culture
They say that “loose lips sink ships.” If there is something that keeps CEOs up at night, it’s a reputational crisis. My No. 1 rule for preventing such a crisis is to be absolutely transparent in everything that you do. I always tell my team to “raise the red flag” at the first instance, because if you aren’t aware of it, then you won’t be able to manage it. PR crises could have serious consequences. – Fahad Qadir, Haleon
7. Prepare Internally First
B2B crisis comms starts with employees, not the media. Prepare with cross-functional training, clear updates and strong stakeholder ties. Don’t exploit rivals, but reinforce your strengths. Always be ready so no one is caught off guard. – Mike Neumeier, Arketi Group
8. Understand Your Organization
Preventing a crisis isn’t possible. However, by truly understanding your organization—your purpose, your values, your brand pillars and your people—you’ll have the foundation you need to walk through crises safely and calmly. From there, you can create a robust plan that allows you to mitigate an issue before it reaches crisis status, minimizing business disruption and maintaining brand trust. – John Jorgenson, Cambium Learning Group
9. Plan Before You Need To
My No. 1 rule for preventing a PR crisis is to plan before you need to. Companies that wait to react often lose control of the narrative. A strong crisis plan—clear roles, prepared messaging and defined channels—gives you speed and clarity when it matters most, protecting both your credibility and your brand. – Nicole Tidei, Pinkston
10. Proactively Track And Correct Unwanted Stories
Proactively track and correct unwanted stories. Be vigilant of what’s being written about your brand and prevent any potential PR crisis with strong online reputation management programs. Leveraging the proliferation of online media channels and highlighting positive stories to counter a negative one are the keys to course-correcting – Namita Tiwari, Namita Tiwari
11. Own It Early
Own it early. That’s the No. 1 rule. When things go wrong—and they will—swift and transparent accountability can prevent a full-blown PR crisis. Communicate directly, fix the issue and explain how you’ll prevent it next time. Crises test character. Brands that lead with honesty and action build lasting trust. – Sara Payne, Inprela Communications
12. Listen Early And Often
Listen early and listen often. The best way to prevent a PR crisis is to spot the signals before they spike, whether that’s by monitoring customer feedback, employee sentiment or digital chatter. Silence is rarely a good sign. – Yael Klass, Similarweb Ltd.
13. Build Trusted, Cross-Functional Relationships
My No. 1 rule is to build trusted, cross-functional relationships early on. It ensures the communications team is part of decision-making, not damage control—reducing risk, aligning messaging and enabling swift, credible responses that protect reputation and build long-term brand trust. – JoAnn Yamani, Future 500
14. Lead With Transparency To Build Credibility
Truth builds trust. Most PR crises don’t erupt because something bad happened; they erupt because a company was perceived as hiding something, spinning facts or reacting too late. When organizations lead with transparency, they earn credibility with stakeholders. This makes it easier to manage difficult news when it does arise because audiences believe the company is being honest and accountable. – Kurt Allen, Notre Dame de Namur University
15. Prioritize Internal Alignment Before External Action
Most PR crises start when teams move fast, without shared clarity on messaging, values or risk. When everyone’s on the same page, you spot issues early on and build trust that lasts beyond the moment. – Cody Gillund, Grounded Growth Studio
16. Listen Before You Speak
The No. 1 rule is to listen before you speak. Proactively monitor internal sentiment and external conversations. Most PR crises stem from ignoring early warning signs. When you’re tuned in, you can address issues with authenticity and agility, protecting trust before it erodes. – Kal Gajraj, Ph.D., CAN Community Health
17. Treat PR As A Strategic Function
My No. 1 rule is to treat PR as a strategic function, not just an execution arm. PR leaders must have a seat at the table with the C-suite to flag reputational risks before decisions are made. Without that safeguard, early warning signs can be missed, leading to avoidable crises that damage brand trust and business viability. – John Schneider, Betterworks
18. Be Human Before Being Polished
My No. 1 rule is to be human before being polished. If something feels off internally, it’ll land worse externally. I always gut-check messaging for tone, empathy and unintended implications before it goes out. It keeps the brand grounded and keeps small missteps from becoming big headlines. – Aditi Sinha, Point of View Label
19. Maintain Continuous, Proactive Stakeholder Engagement
My rule for preventing a PR crisis is proactive stakeholder engagement. Continuously communicating with employees, customers, investors and the media helps address concerns before they escalate. This ongoing dialogue builds trust and ensures stakeholders are informed and supportive, protecting the company’s reputation during tough times. – Lauren Parr, RepuGen
20. Build Systems For Recognition, Response, Resilience And Reporting
Crisis cannot be prevented given the speed that chaos moves today. The real work is building systems for recognition, response, resilience and reporting, not just messaging. Crisis puts brand equity, trust and revenue at risk. Acting on truth, even in the face of legal risk, is the only way to avoid the long-term financial and reputation cost of silence, delay and inaction. – Toby Wong, Toby Wong Consulting
Feature Image Credit: Getty
