Crises are always difficult and rarely expected, but being prepared can mean the difference between success and failure for a brand.

Being able to refer to a well thought-out crisis plan can make a bad situation manageable, and it helps all internal team members get on board with what needs to happen. Yet, crisis plans are not a one-size-fits-all option. Careful planning before an emergency arises can help you avoid pit falls in the midst of chaos.

You don’t know how you’re going to be in a crisis until you’re in a crisis #crisiscomms

— CNWGroup (@CNWGroup) March 11, 2015

The following four tips from Davia Temin, CEO of Temin & Co. can help make sure your brand’s valued reputation remains intact during a crisis. She discussed this during the recent PR Newswire webinar Staying Ahead of the Game: The Steps to Effective Crisis Communications Planning, which you can still view on-demand.

• Turn to social media: A company has 15 minutes to respond on social media before the information is spread on its own. Address the situation quickly and monitor social for any conversation about your company.
• Be Real: Don’t sugarcoat unfortunate facts. Temin says to be transparent about the situation and be prepared for questions. Allow your audience to trust that you are giving them timely and valuable information.
• Get the C-Suite up-to-date: Every crack in an executive team will be exploited by a crisis. Make sure to have several team meetings to get everyone (who’s anyone) on the same page and understanding the importance of the situation.
• All Hands on Deck: The time of crisis is not a time to take your workload lightly nor take that remote vacation you’ve been dreaming about. It’s going to be hard work to tackle the crisis and come out on top. Make sure everyone on your team is prepared to work around the clock and ready to take on those midnight calls from a colleague. Temin says crisis management is a 25/8 job and is now part of the new normal when dealing with an unplanned situation.

When faced with a crisis, and at some point all companies are, comprehensive monitoring platform like PR Newswire’s Agility workflow platform can help you listen for sentiment analysis about your brand, gain appropriate media attention and distribute your messages to help achieve your goal during a crisis. Click here to schedule a free demo.

Author Chelsea Kiko is the events assistant at PR Newswire. Follow her on Twitter @ckiko47.