When Crisis Hits, You’ll Have Seconds — Here’s How to Be Ready

Even the best companies are vulnerable to a crisis. While you can’t predict when it will hit — or the level of devastation to your brand — you can create a communications plan that will mitigate damage. 

So how do you get started? Here are the first two steps to take:

Recruit a Crisis Communications Team.

You’ll need a small work group that will be completely familiar with your crisis communications plan and ready to implement it at a moment’s notice. Likely members may include your CEO and representatives from your legal, financial, marketing and leadership

teams. This group will pull in others to work with them in a crisis.

We recommend clearly defining the responsibilities of team members for both preparing for a crisis situation and reacting to one.  

Questions to consider include: 

• What skills and expertise are required for your crisis communications preparation and response?  

• Who are trusted, credible voices internally and externally?  

• What skills are missing internally, and how do you fill that gap on the team? 

• How often will the Crisis Communications Team hold regular meetings, and what is required at those meetings? How will those requirements change in times of crisis? 

Build Out The Crisis Communications Response Process.

A key element to a successful Crisis Communications response is a step-by-step guide to what happens when. What must be done immediately, and by whom? What happens within the hour? What materials must be gathered, and by when? What about Days 2-5? 

The Crisis Communications Response Process is further divided into what is required for Internal and External communications. Both will require tailored approaches, preparation and thoughtful timing.

Questions that guide the Process include:

• How will information flow from the Crisis Team? 

• What is the approval process for Internal and External communications?

• What is the timeline for these communications? 

• Who is responsible for adapting existing materials or creating new material? 

• What staff members need to be notified of the current crisis situation? 

• Who is included in the definition of Internal audience? 

  • Who needs what level of information?  

  • Who will do the communicating?

  • What type of information will be conveyed? 

• Who is included in the definition of External audience? 

  • What communication to external audiences is required? 

  • Who will do the communicating?

  • What type of information will be conveyed? 

• What channels of communication will be used, and why? 

By the time a public relations crisis threatens your organization’s stability, it’s too late to start down the learning curve. Essential stakeholders –– including employees, vendors, customers, board members and your community –– want to know immediately what’s happening, and why.

You have the opportunity to control the narrative — take it.