You're dealing with multiple brand crises. How do you decide which actions to prioritize?

''In the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity.'' ~ Albert Einstein. Indeed, all of us sometimes feel that tense point in our body when there is a crisis, especially with our brand. Still, there is a silver lining here as when you are forced to prioritize and face a crisis you can use this as an opportunity to grow, mainly in that you can take this as an opportunity to learn about how your brand operates in the market and how it is vulnerable. From there, you can adjust. So just remember Oscar Wilde's take: we are all in the gutter, just some of us are looking up at the stars...

The most crucial first step would be to conduct a thorough assessment of each crisis to understand its severity and potential impact on the brand. Evaluate factors such as the reach of the issue, stakeholder concerns, and the immediate threat to brand reputation and revenue. Prioritize actions based on this assessment, focusing first on crises that pose the greatest risk. Develop a strategic response plan for each, ensuring clear communication and swift, decisive action. Simultaneously, establish a crisis management team to monitor and address ongoing issues, adapting strategies as needed to mitigate further damage.

"The future depends on what you do today." — Mahatma Gandhi. Most of us do not like 'urgency'. We don't have time to think. We get anxiety. We even act irrationally. Still, the clock keeps ticking. Still, what we can do is plan, and even if we don't feel equipped to address the urgency in that moment, what we can do in that moment is sit done and draw out a plan to address that urgency. This way we know what to do, even if it is tomorrow, and more importantly, the urgency seems less scary : )

"Don’t let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice." — Steve Jobs. Many times, we take it personal when we hear concerns from stakeholders as we feel like it's a reflection on ourselves. This can create inaction or even anxiety that disenables us from taking charge and addressing those concerns. In my opinion, separate yourself from the topic so you can address those concerns. This way you can prioritize and really see how to mitigate the concerns as you are taking yourself out of it. And ultimately you keep your own voice, and in this you can create the ability to simply convince this that there is no need to be concerned, which will save you a lot of work!

Leveraging AI for predictive analysis, and tools like Crayon monitor vast digital landscapes to predict potential crises before they escalate, allowing brands to allocate resources more effectively. By focusing on preemptive measures, brands can minimize the necessity for diversion of resources from other critical areas, ensuring a balanced approach to crisis management and resource allocation. The integration of automated communication platforms, like Intercom, can streamline and prioritize issues based on their severity and impact. This allowed us, during a product recall, to efficiently address consumer concerns while dedicating resources to critical tasks. The balance preserved customer trust during turbulent times.

"We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak." — Epictetus. We all do it sometimes. Only taking the time when someone else is speaking to think about what we are going to say next. Still, many times any issues we have are solved when we truly listen to the other parties involved, as sometimes they are providing the answer. So, with this, always work in listening or feedback sessions into your brand strategy. It might take an hour longer, but it will save you two hours of future work. And after all, don't we all like it when someone provides an answer?