American companies are bracing for a new kind of “natural disaster”: a mean tweet from Donald Trump
Written By: Michael J. Coren, Quartz
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To cope, experts are counseling proactive defense, says Andrew Shore of the DC law firm Jochum, Shore & Trossevin PC. “‘Duck and cover’ isn’t a strategy,” said Shore, a lobbyist and former Republican congressional staffer.
First, said the firm’s communications specialist Erica Richardson, companies should assess their vulnerabilities based on their industry, labor practices, pending legislation, employees’ political activity and other factors. She suggests bolstering existing relationships with allies in the Trump administration or Congress, as well as forging new ones, to guard against politicians preparing to copy Trump’s tactics. “It wouldn’t surprise me if this approach opens the door to members of Congress following his lead on social media,” she said. Companies should also prepare for a crisis with rapid response teams armed with fact-sheets, customer testimonials and pre-approved content for Twitter, Facebook and other channels—to forcefully challenge the narrative within hours, if not minutes.