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U.S. President Donald Trump’s use of Twitter is a daily topic of discussion across traditional and social media channels. White House correspondents regularly ask press secretary Sean Spicer about what and why the President is tweeting. And Trump has, on several occasions, targeted specific companies with negative tweets.

Thomas Watson of the Ivey Business Journal recently wrote an article examining how companies can deal with a “Trump tweet.” Linda Smith contributed her thoughts on the subject, emphasizing the importance of planning ahead and finding ways to effectively manage the tone of the story resulting from a Trump tweet.

Here is an excerpt from Watson’s article featuring Linda’s advice:

“Linda Smith, founding partner with Smithcom, a Toronto-based boutique communications firm dedicated to reputation management, agrees that Trump’s tweets are a phenomenon worth preparing for, given media scrutiny and market volatility. The veteran crisis manager, who helped Maple Leaf Foods emerge from its 2008 listeriosis crisis with its reputation intact, advises corporate clients to envision what kind of negative messages could emerge via social media and plan strategic ways to change the narrative if it becomes necessary. The trick, she adds, is managing a respectful redirection of social media discussions with truth and integrity. ‘GM CEO Mary Barra did that well recently,’ she notes, ‘by finding common ground with Trump’s camp on the need for a strengthened U.S. economy while indicating she would not react to tweets about taxing imports because it takes years to determine manufacturing plant changes.’”

To read the full article from the Ivey Business Journal, click here.