Smart companies have crisis plans for when – not if – an incident occurs that disrupts business or damages their brand reputation. However, in today’s fast-paced, social media-dominated world, these plans need to be reviewed and updated on a regular basis to keep pace with an ever-growing set of potential threats: unsubstantiated damaging rumors, cyberattacks and data breaches, natural disasters, and unethical executive behavior to name a few.
As crisis communication experts, CommCore counsels clients to have a flexible plan in place that includes internal and external communications, as well as, incident response and business continuity contingencies. Here are a few strategic steps for your crisis plans:
- Crystal Ball: Keep an eye out for warning signs.
- Negative news coverage
- Constant corporate shifts
- Regulatory legal investigations
- Industry-wide issues
- Whistleblowers
- Cyber threats/attacks
-
Be fast and flexible…but also factual: Have holding statements, a “war room,” and a “dark” website ready immediately for a range of contingencies. But, then take a step back to assess the situation (and gather as much information as possible).
-
Is it an emergency that’s containable, or crisis that’s not? Is it over or is there more to come?
-
Are there victims and what can we do for them? Express believable concern, and follow through.
-
Communicate internally as well as externally; restless employees and families can be a source of help, or a problem.
-
Do you need external resources?
-
What’s the timeline for next steps to take? Where do you want to be in a day, a week, a month or more?
-
What’s at stake short and long-term, and what are the brand reputation implications?
-
-
Assessment: It’s important to benchmark the steps you took to determine what in your crisis planning and response worked well, and what needs to be improved.
-
Did you achieve the best possible outcome?
-
How effective were the channels of communication you used?
-
Did you have the right people on the crisis team?
-
How well did your core messages resonate with your target audiences?
-
Did you manage to repair and restore your organization‘s reputation?
-
Learn More About CommCore’s Crisis Communications Services
- Crisis Communications Planning
- Crisis Communication Examples
- CommCore Crisis Communications Advice Featured in CNN Money
- Crisis Communications Case Study: CommCore Advises J&J During Tylenol Tampering Crisis
- Social Media & Crisis Communications
- Industry Focus: Discover CommCore’s Expertise in Your Vertical
- NYT Reporters Get Pressure Tested
Contact our Crisis Communications Trainers & Consultants
We are available and can put you in touch with the right person to help with your specific crisis communications challenge. To schedule a PressureTest™ Demo or get answers quickly, call us at (202) 659-4177 or email info@CommCoreConsulting.com to contact our crisis communications firm today.