Receiving bad press is every charity's worst nightmare, but armed with the right tools you can restore and even improve public trust, says Alex Goldup.

In an age of social media and a fast-moving 24/7 news cycle, the risk that a charity might find itself embroiled in and overtaken by controversy and bad publicity is never far away. Whether caused by a staff incident, a lapse in fundraising standards or any of the myriad other challenging issues that can arise from time to time, damage can be instant and can travel fast.

However, it is perfectly possible to emerge from a bout of negative publicity with your reputation intact, or even strengthened. Here are some tips:

Be prepared

Draw up a crisis management plan, and include this as an agenda item for regular discussion at senior management meetings. The plan could set out the roles and responsibilities of staff, a checklist of audiences and, of course, emergency addresses and numbers. All staff should know the procedures and receive regular reminders of what to do when a crisis hits.

React quickly

An incident or grievance, however minor it may seem on the surface, can quickly snowball. At the first sign of trouble, decide on your strategy and execute it without delay, taking outside advice where necessary. If the situation is unclear or you are awaiting facts, you could consider agreeing a holding statement, and the promise of further details as things progress. Silence is far from golden in these situations, and hiding behind ‘no comment’ will likely just inflame opinion and encourage suspicion.

Be sympathetic

It can be helpful to stand back and assess the psychology of a crisis as a whole, rather than the fine detail, and take into account what your audiences need or expect to hear. Counter arguments and defensive messages can sometimes aggravate a situation. In contrast, sensitivity and an ability to show that you care can contribute immeasurably to long-term goodwill and reputation.

Decide who you need to reach and be consistent

A holistic approach to your audiences and the channels you will use to reach them is vital. Have you considered all your audiences – including beneficiaries, clients and partner organisations – and thought about how you should reach each of them? Make sure, however, that your organisation is speaking with a consistent voice. You don’t want to say one thing to journalists while putting out different messages on Twitter, for example.

Review and regroup

An essential part of dealing with negative publicity is evaluation and assessment after the event. What succeeded, and what could have been handled better? Is there anything you should be doing differently to reduce the risk of adverse publicity returning? Finally, regroup and move forward – rebuilding an image is essential in the months that follow negative publicity, and it requires care, planning and sensitivity.

Alex Goldup is a director at Third Sector PR