Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past two years, you have undoubtedly seen or heard about the PR nightmare plaguing entertainment and theme park brand SeaWorld since the release of 2013 documentary Blackfish. SeaWorld owns and operates three ocean-themed entertainment parks nationwide in Orlando, FL, San Diego, CA, and San Antonio, TX, along with several other themed water and amusement parks including Sesame Place and Busch Gardens.

Since the launch of the Blackfish film, which aired nationally on CNN months after its debut at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has been under tremendous scrutiny from both the general public and animal rights activist groups (like PETA) who have been calling for the closure of the theme park’s Killer Whale exhibits. The first nine months of 2014 saw attendance at all three SeaWorld parks, along with stock prices, plummet, a likely cause of the recent resignation of longtime CEO, Jim Atchison.

Although the team behind Blackfish wants more from SeaWorld, they did succeed in catching the theme park giant off-guard, assailing the Killer Whale program that the park’s PR team should have known was vulnerable to sizable attack and criticism (PETA has been conducting a long-standing campaign against SeaWorld for years).

After the movie debuted, SeaWorld sat idle without deploying a defined PR crisis management plan to immediately defend their position as the premiere ocean themed parks and one of the largest sea-life rescue and rehabilitation operations in the world. They did nothing. For months.

That was until recently, when SeaWorld launched the social media campaign “#AskSeaWorld” in an attempt to answer questions about the claims raised in Blackfish. To say that the effort backfired would be an understatement, with the campaign falling quickly and irreparably to hashtag hijackers. A few weeks later, SeaWorld released a national ad campaign, taking a more “direct” approach to defending claims made against the park, though never directly addressing the film.

Whether or not this is the right message for SeaWorld, the timing is way off. Waiting nearly two years to get your act together when dealing with a PR disaster of this magnitude is a sure fire way to turn both the press and your customers away from your brand in a hurry.

Here are 4 key things that we can take away from SeaWorld’s missteps when dealing with a PR crisis:

1. Have a plan. Even if your brand has survived years without facing a PR threat, it’s critical to have an established crisis communication plan in place. At the initial discovery of a problem, what needs to be done first? Second? Who’s responsible? Take time to practice and review your crisis management plan at least once a year to ensure your team is ready to handle any situation at a moment’s notice. And before a crises arises, know your brand’s (or your industry’s) hot button issues and anticipate feedback in advance.

2. Act Fast. Speed was a critical misstep for SeaWorld. Even if their strategy had changed along the way, addressing the situation could have helped save the company from much of the backlash they received early on. As soon as something breaks, consider it a real threat to your brand and act on it. Get out ahead of whatever or whomever is standing in the way of your brand’s reputation and execute your plan calmly and objectively (see #1).

3. Be Transparent. When facing a PR crisis, be honest not only your audience and the media, but also with yourself and your staff. As a marketing/communications pro, know what your limitations are and recognize when it’s time to bring in experts in particular fields. For example, if the media is continuously asking you for answers on a technical subject that you’re not 100% sure about, say you’re consulting with an expert from your organization (or outside it) and actually do it. As challenging as it may be, don’t allow the media to control the direction of the discussion. Maintain control of press conferences and interviews by taking the lead from the onset and sticking to your plan.

4. Don’t Be Afraid of Social. Too often, brands are afraid to utilize their social media channels to disseminate accurate information or craft their stories for fear of negative feedback or loss of control of the situation. The reality is that these comments are coming whether you’re engaged or not, and if crafted correctly, a social media response can help inform and show support for your audience and fans. Respond to comments when and where appropriate and create opportunities to strengthen your story by sharing facts and and showing compassion rather than getting combative.

Sitting idly by or responding too aggressively when a PR disaster strikes can push your customers away and invite further criticism from the press. Enacting a well-established plan in a timely manner is crucial for successful crisis management.