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Crisis Communications Handbook
1. CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
HANDBOOK
Are you prepared?
Written By Charlotte Jewer
This handbook belongs to:
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. Crisis Communications Handbook
Are You Prepared?
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS HANDBOOK
1.0 INTRODUCTION AND HANDBOOK INSTRUCTIONS 4
1.1 INTRODUCTION 4
1.2 HANDBOOK INSTRUCTIONS AND CONTRACT 5
1.3 UPDATE CALENDAR 6
2.0 GETTING ORGANIZED: KNOW WHO IS ON YOUR SIDE 7
2.1 SKILLS INVENTORY 8-9
2.2 CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS TEAM ROLES (CCT) 10
2.3 TEAM MEMBER BIOGRAPHIES 11
SAMPLE TEAM MEMBER BIOGRAPHIES 12
BIOGRAPHIES LIST 13-17
2.4 COMMUNICATIONS TEAM CONTACT LIST 18-20
2.5 ORGANIZATIONAL FLOW CHART 21
2.6 COMMUNICATIONS FLOW CHART 22
2.7 CCT TELEPHONE TREE 23-24
2.8 TRAINING SCHEDULE 25
2.9 BACKGROUNDER AND FACT SHEET 26
BACKGROUNDER TEMPLATE 27
FACT SHEET TEMPLATE 28
2.10 STAKEHOLDER SATELLITE 29
STAKEHOLDER SATELLITE TEMPLATE 30
2.11 STAKEHOLDER CONTACT SHEETS 31-40
INVESTORS 31
CUSTOMERS/MEMBERS/DONORS 32
EMPLOYEES AND UNION GROUPS 33
FINANCIAL PLAYERS 34
COMMUNITY LEADERS 35
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS 36
KEY SUPPLIERS/RETAILERS 37
FAMILIES OF EMPLOYEES 38
INDUSTRY PARTNERS 39
AFFILIATED ASSOCIATIONS 40
3.0 ISSUES MANAGEMENT: WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG? 41
3.1 STEP 1: IDENTIFY POTENTIAL PROBLEMS 42
SWOT ANALYSIS 43
3.2 STEP 2: VERIFY THE SITUATION 44
3.3 STEP 3: ASSESS THE CRISIS LEVEL 46
CRISIS INTENSITY CHART 47
3.4 STEP 4: DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE COURSE OF ACTION 48
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3. 4.0 COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING: GETTING THE PR PROCESS RIGHT 49
4.1 STEP 1: IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE 50
INTERNAL AUDIENCES MAP 51
EXTERNAL AUDIENCES MAP 52
TARGET AUDIENCE CONTACT SHEET 53-54
4.2 STEP 2: APPROVE YOUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 55
SMART OBJECTIVES CHART 56
4.3 STEP 3: APPROVE A STRATEGY AND TACTICS 57
STRATEGY MAP 58
4.4 STEP 4: ESTABLISH EFFECTIVE KEY MESSAGES 59
KEY MESSAGES CHART 59-60
4.5 STEP 5: DEFINE THE PROPER CHANNELS FOR COMMUNICATION 62
4.6 STEP 6: FINAL PLANNING CHECKLIST 63
5.0 MEDIA RELATIONS: HOW TO HANDLE THE MOB 64
5.1 CONSTRUCT A MEDIA LIST 64
DAILY NEWSPAPERS 65
COMMUNITY AND SPECIALITY NEWSPAPERS 66
MAGAZINES 67
TELEVISION 68
RADIO 69
ONLINE COMMUNITY 70
5.2 IDENTIFY A SPOKESPERSON 71
5.3 TRAIN YOUR SPOKESPERSON 72-73
5.4 SAMPLE DOCUMENTS 74
5.5 NEWS RELEASE TEMPLATE 76
5.6 MEDIA ADVISORY TEMPLATE 77
5.7 HOLDING STATEMENT TEMPLATE 78
5.8 EMPATHY STATEMENT TEMPLATE 79
5.9 FAQ LIST 80
5.10 MEDIA CENTRE 81
5.11 LOGISTICS CHECKLIST 82
5.12 LOCATION RESEARCH 83
5.13 CONTACT LOG 84-85
5.14 MEDIA MONITORING LOG 86
5.15 POTENTIAL PITFALLS 87
6.0 EVALUATION AND MOVING FORWARD: ARE YOU ON TRACK? 88
6.1 EVALUATION 88
SMART OBJECTIVE EVALUAITON 89
6.2 BUDGETING 90
6.3 CHANGING THE CONVERSATION 9O
CSR BRAINSTORMING SATELLITE 91
APPENDIX
BUDGETARY EVALUATION 92-94
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4. Crisis Communications Handbook
Are You Prepared?
1.0 Introduction and handbook instructions
1.1 Introduction
Life is unpredictable - while things might be going according
to plan today, tomorrow is another story.
A crisis can come in many forms - a precarious economy, moody
Mother Nature, mechanical failure, and human loss or human error, can all
present serious complications for any organization at any time. While all of these
circumstances are out of anyone’s control, how you handle the fallout is what will
either save or sink the ship.
While crisis communications planning has always been on the radar for most
organizations, in today’s fast-paced globally connected world, citizens and
consumers are more savy, vocal, and in-tune than ever before. There is a demand
for transparency and organizations must be prepared to be open and honest with
the general public.
This handbook is meant to help you and your organization prepare for a storm. In
the world of crisis communications, preparedness can equal success. It is about
building the right team, knowing your audience, creating strategic messages, and
guiding the media. Much of this work can be done before a crisis hits, letting you
act quickly, confidently, and effectively. Consequently, it is how you behave in the
first few hours of a crisis that proves to be critical in minimizing the damage done
to your business and most importantly, your reputation.
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5. 1.2 Handbook instructions and contract
This handbook can be used as your guide to help you create a comprehensive
crisis communications plan and team for your organization. It will be your job to
be the crisis communications team leader, or CCTL, to take-charge of compiling
information and completing the templates provided in this handbook. It will also
be your job to act as the knowledge centre of your crisis communications team,
expecting the unexpected.
As the CCTL, you must keep a copy of your completed plan both at the office and
offsite. It is important to note that finalized plans also need to be maintained in
both electronic and paper formats at each location in order to be effective.
As a primary rule, your crisis communications plan must be kept up-to-date at all
times. On a regular basis, when the contact details of crisis communications team
members change, it is extremely important that you amend your contact list as
these changes occur.
(More on building your contact list under “Getting organized.”)
Additionally, your entire crisis plan must be reviewed on a semi-annual basis –
updates on June 15 and December 15 are recommended as favourable times.
Circumstances are always changing both within and outside of your organization,
and you must be sure that you have accounted for these changes, big and small.
It will be your responsibility as the CCTL to make sure that all identified crisis
team members have a copy of the plan along with key emergency response
partners in the event of a crisis. After all, the documents and details contained in
your plan will not only help you save your organization’s reputation, but in critical
circumstances, it can also save lives.
I _______________________________________________, am responsible for filling
out the templates in this crisis communications handbook in full.
I will review my plan on (DATES)__________________________ and
__________________________ along with all other CCT members on a regular
semi- annual basis, committing to make necessary changes to the plan as they
may occur.
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6. Crisis Communications Handbook
Are You Prepared?
1.3 Update calendar
What documents need to be reviewed on these dates?
• Contact lists
• Backgrounder and fact sheets
• CCT member biographies
• SWOT analysis
• Communication strategies
*Templates are provided for each document throughout the handbook.
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7. 2.0 Getting organized: Know who is on your side
Every home, school, business, community centre etc., is
strongly advised to have an emergency procedure plan in
place. While this type of careful preparation is widely practiced,
building a working crisis communications plan should also
become a common exercise. Before any damaging crisis
scenarios come to fruition, is it important to get organized.
In order to do so, this section will highlight a list of important documents that
must be fully completed and kept in active files.
• Skills inventory
• Crisis communications team roles (CCT)
• Team member biographies
• Communications team contact list
• Organizational flow chart
• Communications flow chart
• CCT telephone tree
• Training schedule
• Backgrounder and fact sheet
• Stakeholder satellite
• Stakeholder contact sheets
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Are You Prepared?
2.1 Skills inventory
Who do you call when disaster strikes? Answering this question will allow you to
build a competent and reliable team of allies that will work together to stabilize
the situation and repair the damage done. When choosing these individuals, ask
yourself what their strengths and weaknesses are both in and out of the
workplace allowing you to build a skills inventory.
• Who is a strong writer?
• Who knows how to talk to the media?
• Who has the ability to think on their feet in creative and
intelligent ways?
• Who knows your organization inside and out?
By collecting this type of information from your colleagues, it will be easy for you
to compile a team of people that compliment each other and bring new talents to
the team. While most of your team members will come from a communications
background, don’t be afraid to look outside of your department for help.
*Use the template on the following page to find three possible candidates for
each skill.
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9. Skills inventory
Required skill/experience Candidates
Strong writing
Media relations experience
Social media experience
Creative and strategic thinker
Internal operations knowledge
External operations knowledge
Human resources training
Financial expert
Legal expertise
Technical and computer skills
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10. Crisis Communications Handbook
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2.2 Crisis communications team roles (CCT)
The size of your team will depend on the size of your organization, however; the
following are key roles that need to be delegated. Based on the information
collected in your skills inventory and upon agreement of each suitable candidate,
assign the best nominee to each role.
Crisis communications team roles
Role Name and current title
Leader
Assistant
Senior Advisor
Executive Leader
Spokesperson
Internal Affairs Coordinator
External Affairs Coordinator
Media Relations Officer
Social Media Specialist
Financial Officer
Information Technology Specialist
Human Resources Specialist and
Family Liaison
Legal Council
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11. 2.3 Team member biographies
Once the members of your CCT have been carefully chosen, you must compile a
brief biography on each team member that covers:
• Their history with your organization,
• Their occupational specialties,
• Why they were chosen for their CCT position, and
• Any other experience they might have in dealing with a crisis
scenario
The media will inevitably be looking for this information when a crisis hits to add a
personal angle to their reports. It is imperative that you create these biographies
in preparation for a crisis, as this information will be extremely difficult to gather
in an emergency situation. (Including a professional photo for each team member
is an added bonus for reporters.)
*Pay special attention to the biography of your executive leader and
spokesperson. These people will have direct contact with the media, therefore;
their biographies need to be especially accurate, informative, and sharply written.
(See more on this in “Media relations: How to handle the mob.”)
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Sample team member biographies
Leader – Ronald Smith
Ronald Smith has been with Company A as the head of the public relations
department for nine years. A specialist in communications planning and brand
development, Mr. Smith’s organizational skills and advanced knowledge of
Company A’s clientele, have made him the lead of the crisis communications
team.
Mr. Smith was previously involved in the successful resolution of a product recall
in 2005, directing media relations and restoring the trust of key stakeholders.
Internal Affairs Coordinator – Donna Warren
Donna Warren began working with Company B as a sales manager in 1998. Her
superior team management skills and passion for Company B’s brand, propelled
Mrs. Warren to the position as operations officer of Company B’s eastern retail
department in 2007. Mrs. Warren’s thorough knowledge of the mechanics of
Company B’s operations, along with her exceptional interpersonal skills, make her
a strong internal affairs coordinator. Mrs. Warren successfully managed her sales
team through the regretful downsizing of the eastern retail division in 2000 with
grace and compassion.
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Financial Officer
Human Resource Specialist and Family Liaison
Information Technology Specialist
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2.4 Communications team contact list
Most businesses and organizations are good at keeping track of employee and
member contact information. While the human resources
department might be the one to keep most of this information
organized, it is important for you to keep your own up-to-date
record of this information. It is vital to have the details of all
your CCT members close at hand, and it is also important to
have full contact information for all organization members
ready in case of emergency.
*This list must also include emergency contact information for your local fire
department, police service, and regional hospital services.
Your CCT contact list must include the following information:
Name Address Home # Cell# E-mail
CCT role Date
revised
Joseph Media Relations 52 Spruce Dr. (613) (613) jbrown@hotmail.com 01/01/11
Brown Ottawa, ON K1S 234-5787 234-9908
5P9
Lisa Hill Assistant Team 19 Falls Rd. (613) (613) lhill@gmail.com 05/06/01
Leader Ottawa, ON K5N 7J6 667-4356 667-8327
*Remember to keep both a paper and electronic version of this document at both
your onsite crisis communications centre and at an external location.
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21. 2.5 Organizational flow chart
Once you have built your team, it is important that you understand the
hierarchical approval process that exists in your organization. Every organization
has a chain of command that needs to be respected at all times – including in a
time of crisis. While this is expected to alter slightly from normal day-to-day
procedures, it is important to know who needs to approve of your messages and
finalize details before anything is acted upon. Additionally, it is important to know
what path you must follow when communicating information internally to
employees, members, families, etc.
Organizational Executive Board of Directors
CCT Leader
CCT members
Internal Relations Team External Relations Team Media Relations Team
Management Human Investors/Donors/Members Spokespeople
Resources
Internal Employees Government Contacts Media contacts
departments
Families Clients/Suppliers
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2.6 Communications flow chart
Along with your organizational flow chart, the direction of communications within
your team is also necessary to define in preparation for a crisis situation. In order
to avoid panic, CCT members must be placed on the communications flow chart in
order to identify the order in which decisions are made, how information is
disseminated and received, and what channels CCT members must follow in order
to reach all members in an organized manner.
*The Legal Councilor and the Information Technology Coordinator need to be
directly consulted on a regular and uninhibited basis as the process unfolds.
Executive Leader
Senior Advisor
CCT Leader
Legal Council CCT Assistant Information
Technology
Coordinator
Internal Affairs Coordinator External Affairs Coordinator
Human Resources Specialist Financial Officer Media Relations Officer
and Family Liaison
Management Spokesperson Social Media Coordinator
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23. 2.7 CCT telephone tree
When a crisis happens, time is of the essence - a telephone tree
will allow a large number of phone calls to be made in a short
period of time. When everyone shares in the responsibility of
contacting at least two people, the calling process is completed
more rapidly and accurately.
As the CCT Leader, your name will be on the top of this list. Build your tree based
on a “need to know” basis – create a hierarchy based on who needs to know what
information before someone else in the chain to effectively communicate your
message.
Once your name is placed on the far left of the tree, follow the lines across where
you will add two new names and corresponding telephone numbers in each box
following your communications chain of command. By completing the telephone
tree template provided on the next page, each person will only have to contact
two new people, who each contact two people themselves, and so on, lessening
the burden on the team leader.
*Your executive leader, or CEO, will have to be informed directly by the team
leader, as the information given to the CEO needs to be as direct and accurate as
possible. This person should be at the top of your contact list.
To create an interactive version of your telephone tree, use an Excel template. In
such a template, each person should have three contacts each. By using simple
Excel formulas, members of your telephone tree can easily be replaced and
updated depending on a change of company position or to account for vacation
schedules etc.
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25. 2.8 Training schedule
Now that your CCT has been assembled, it is important to conduct a training
exercise in order to get a feel for how well your team performs and to learn what
areas need to be improved. This activity should be scheduled twice a year, with
the same importance as fire drills and evacuation procedures.
Additionally, a media training session for your spokesperson and media relations
specialist will also need to be scheduled into your annual calendar. A media
training specialist will most likely need to be brought in from a local agency, as
this is a highly specialized discipline with training that needs to be conducted by
experienced experts.
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2.9 Backgrounder and fact sheet
When a crisis hits and the media is on your doorstep, it is important to have your
facts straight. This includes having a finalized organizational backgrounder and
fact sheet at your disposal. These documents describe your organization, outline
your reason for being, and answer any anticipated questions the media or general
public may have allowing you to be prepared when the heat is on.
To create an effective backgrounder you should include:
• A concise statement on the purpose of your organization and
what issues/subjects/areas you cover
• A historical overview of your operations along with your
current activities
• A brief overview of your organization’s structure and key
players
• Touch upon your community relations activities
This document must be accurate and up-to-date and should be reviewed regularly
during your scheduled semi-annual meetings. Once finalized, your backgrounder
should be included in your news releases sent to the media during a crisis
situation. Including this information in your news release will allow you to provide
pertinent information about your company to the media quickly and accurately.
A fact sheet acts much the same way as a backgrounder written in a bullet-style
format. A fact sheet allows you to offer a reporter a shortcut to the information
they need in a hurry. Preparing such a document before a crisis strikes reduces
the need for you to personally answer common questions pertaining to your
organization in a time crunch.
Simply attach factual points on your organization’s history, operations,
products/services, community relations activities, key players, etc. to your news
releases allowing reporters to virtually cut and paste important points.
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Fact sheet template
• Organizational history and headquarters
• Operations (local, national, international and industry size)
• Products/services
• Community relations initiatives
• Key players (owners, senior management team)
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29. 2.10 Stakeholder satellite
Who could be affected by a crisis in your organization? This could include any or
all of the following groups:
• Investors
• Customers/members/donors
• Employees and union groups
• Key financial players such as bank officials, local banking
representatives, and insurance representatives.
• Community leaders
• Government officials (elected and regulatory)
• Key suppliers/retailers
• Families of employees
• Industry partners
• Affiliated associations
It is extremely important to identify all stakeholders of your organization before a
crisis strikes to avoid overlooking any key players - neglecting any of these key
groups could cause them to lash-out and have a negative impact on your
operations. Use this satellite to brainstorm and place your stakeholders in order of
operational importance from the centre nucleolus outwards.
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31. 2.11 Stakeholder contact sheets
The stakeholder satellite is followed by a contact list for each group. Place the key
contacts in descending order of importance to your organization.
Investors
Name Organization Position Relationship Phone E-mail Date
revised
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Customers/members/donors
Name Organization Position Relationship Phone E-mail Date
revised
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33. Employees and union groups
Name Organization Position Relationship Phone E-mail Date
revised
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Financial players
Name Organization Position Relationship Phone E-mail Date
revised
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Affiliated associations
Name Organization Position Relationship Phone E-mail Date
revised
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41. 3.0 Issues management:
What could possibly go wrong?
There are a variety of unforeseen circumstances that could
arise at any given time within any type of organization.
While most crisis situations are out of anyone’s control, how
the crisis is handled will either save or ruin your
organization’s reputation. It is important to remember that
in today’s business world, the public perception of your
organization is one of the most important assets in
your portfolio.
According to Jo-Anne Polak, former senior vice-president of crisis communications
at Hill & Knowlton Ottawa, the very definition of a crisis directly relates to your
organization’s image: “A crisis is an event or series of events that can severely
damage the reputation of an organization and its ability to conduct business.”
In order to protect this valuable asset, a crisis situation needs to be handled with
great tact. As the premier rule, effective issues management is the best form of
crisis prevention. Following through these various steps of identification will allow
you to act proactively.
STEP 1: Identify potential problems
STEP 2: Verify the situation
STEP 3: Assess the crisis level
STEP 4: Determine the appropriate course of action
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3.1 STEP 1: Identify potential problems
The ability to be proactive and anticipate potential problems before they arise can
greatly reduce the element of surprise. Therefore, the first step of issues
management is to identify potential problems by conducting a SWOT Analysis. By
reviewing your organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats,
you have a better chance of predicting what issues could possibly arise.
Simply list in bullet points the strengths your organization has in your field along
with the corresponding weaknesses that are internal to your organization. Then
breakdown the opportunities that exist for your organization for growth and
expansion followed by threats you face from competitors or other external forces.
In order to gain additional insight into your organization, practitioners should be
actively conducting media monitoring activities, consulting both upper and lower
level management, studying other competitive organizations, and taking the
general temperature of your stakeholders.
When completed, the weaknesses and threats listed in your SWOT Analysis
should highlight potentially damaging scenarios that could be of crisis proportions
if left unaddressed.
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43. SWOT analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
• Strong community reputation • Poor knowledge of local
officials
Opportunities Threats
• Partnership with local charity • Union unrest
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3.2 STEP 2: Verify the situation
While acting proactively is important, sometimes a crisis cannot be predicted. The
following list of scenarios could adversely impact operations, financial stability,
and the underlying reputation of your organization. Possible crisis situations and
scenarios include, but are not limited to:
Product/service/operation failures
Product recall due to malfunction
Product recall due to illness or death
Accidents
Industrial accident involving injuries
Industrial accident involving death
Explosions/fires
Exposure to harmful substances
Power failures
Civil disturbances
Civil unrest
Community evacuations
Strikes and protests
Financial crisis
Major company layoffs
Plant/branch closures
Plummeting stocks
Funding cutbacks
Natural disasters
Flooding/earthquakes/hurricanes/tornados
Major storm damage
Top-tier management issues
Death or illness of management personnel
Reputation damage
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45. Each scenario will vary in intensity and severity, therefore; the communications
practitioner must ask the following questions in all impending situations in order
to determine the appropriate course of action:
What happened and where?
When did this happen?
Who is involved?
How did it happen?
What is currently being done?
When collecting this data, it is also important to consider the following criteria in
order to confirm the situation is indeed valid:
• Has the situation been confirmed by a reliable source?
• Do you have all the facts?
• Is this an internal or external crisis?
• Is information consistent from several sources?
• Is there a clear consensus amongst stakeholders on the
seriousness of the situation?
• What other information do you need to know to put the event
into perspective?
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3.3 STEP 3: Assess the crisis level
In order to assess the communications response level, it is important to
determine the severity of the situation. A crisis could rock the very foundation of
your organization or it could be easily handled internally without any harm to
public perception, allowing you to get back to business as usual.
Using the chart below, evaluate the intensity of the crisis using the four level
identification system. For Levels 1 and 2, the crisis team should plan on ongoing
reviews of the situation, but the full crisis plan may not need to be implemented.
For any issues identified as a Level 3 or 4, the crisis team should be alerted
immediately and prepare for action.
Each level is determined not only by the obvious severity of the situation, but also
by the media attention received. However, while it is true that many crisis
situations can be handled internally and virtually go “under the radar” of public
awareness, it is always of highest importance to be honest and truthful with all
audiences during a difficult situation. Attempting to cover-up or underreport
matters of public safety will only result in legal battles, a loss of trust, and the
erosion of your organization’s reputation.
See the chart on the next page for crisis classifications.
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3.4 STEP 4: Determine the appropriate course of action
Level 1: In a Level 1 scenario, a media relations policy does not need to be
activated as the media are virtually unaware of the current situation as it pertains
to your organization. However, if the media does make a call, a brief statement
needs to be made to assure the public that the incident is under control.
Internal audience members such as the management team and employees
should be made aware of the issue through the human resources specialist along
with information on how the issue is being handled.
Stakeholders must be made aware of the situation and informed of what is
currently being done to mend the issue and get back to business as usual.
Level 2: In a Level 2 scenario, the public is aware of the situation, but no harm
has been done to your organization’s reputation. The procedure for a Level 1
situation must be followed in such a scenario in addition to media outreach to
assure that you and your CCT stay ahead and in control of the story.
As the media have now become more active in the pursuit of information, a news
release must be issued in order to give reporters accurate and timely information
on the issue. (Templates are provided in Media Relations: How to Handle the
Mob.)
Level 3: The intensity of the situation has now mounted to a troubling height in
a Level 3 crisis scenario. Public outrage is beginning to mount and stakeholders
grow concerned about the health of their assets. Actions need to be taken to quell
public unrest and anger.
It is now imperative that at this level, a more forceful media relations plan needs
to be put into action. CCT members need to be on high alert and are expected to
be available at any time.
Level 4: At this level of crisis, a major shock to your organization has caused
the full attention of all your internal and external publics to be fully drawn to the
issue at hand.
Your CEO must provide a public address of empathy and caring to the media at
large to demonstrate sympathy and apologize to the general public. Without such
an address, there is no chance of repairing public confidence in your brand
without the alienation and further aggravation of certain audiences.
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49. 4.0 Communications planning:
Getting the PR process right
A crisis has been identified and all of your CCT members have been notified. Now
what? It is time to think tactically, clarify your messages, and build a winning
strategy.
The nature and severity of the crisis situation that you are facing will dictate
whether the crisis is an internal matter or of public concern, needs immediate
attention or can be handled with ease, garners media attention or is easily kept
within your control. In any case, all situations require your team to:
STEP 1. Identify your target audience
STEP 2. Approve your goals and objectives
STEP 3. Approve a strategy and tactics
STEP 4. Establish effective key messages
STEP 5. Define the proper channels for
communication
STEP 6: Review the final planning checklist
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4.1 STEP 1: Identify your target audience
Who needs to receive your message? Is this an internal matter where information
needs to be primarily communicated to your employees, the families of
employees, investors, or organization members, etc.? Or, does your message need
to be received largely by the general public reaching groups such as consumers,
activists, or your local community through the media? These are the questions
that will determine your target audience.
In some cases this will be a highly defined demographic, in others, your audience
could be the entire community in which you operate, or, in a colossal case, your
story could garner unfavourable international media attention – think of the
British Petroleum oil spill.
Use the template on the next page to examine all of your possible internal and
external target audiences and draw linkages between them.
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53. Once you have identified your target audiences, get to know them. What methods
of communication do they use? What kind of messages do they respond to? You
must decipher the best and fastest way to reach these people. In many cases, you
will have more than one key audience who need to receive your message. It is
important to note that you might have to approach these sub-groups differently,
using different channels and tailoring your messages accordingly.
Use the following chart to list your target audiences, what is the best means of
reaching this particular sub-group, who is the best messenger for this group, and
an approximated timeframe of how long it would take for an important message
to reach this target audience.
Target audience contact sheet
Audience Means Messenger Timeframe
Employees Company e-mail Internal Affairs Coordinator Response time
or telephone may vary
Regional Media Press release, phone Media Relations Officer 0-3 hours Level 3
interview, in-person
interview 0-1 hour Level 4
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55. 4.2 STEP 2: Approve your goals and objectives
Your main goal is to get back to business as usual with as little damage to your
organization’s reputation as possible. However, depending on the type of crisis
scenario, you will also have various other goals to chart along the way to
normalcy. You must ask yourself, what must you achieve by when?
Next, your objectives must align with your goals– objectives are the road map for
achieving your goals. An objective will address the 5Ws of your target goals in a
specific and attainable manner.
To create valuable objectives, they must be SMART or,
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
and Time limited.
By adhering to this criteria, you will be able to successfully measure the success of
your communications campaign when the crisis is over. This is very important as
you need to know if you have indeed met your objectives and communicated your
messages effectively.
A SMART objective will look like the following:
Directly alert all retailers in the eastern sales region via telephone of
an immediate product recall to product numbers S479 to S481 to be
returned to the Cassleman manufacturing plant before September 20,
2011.
Use the template on the following page to track your goals and corresponding
objectives.
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SMART objectives chart
Goal Corresponding objective S M A R T
Successfully recall Directly alert all retailers in the
damaged products in the eastern sales region via telephone of
eastern sales region an immediate product recall to
without losing retailer product numbers S479 to S481 to Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
confidence. be returned to the Cassleman
manufacturing plant before
September 20, 2011.
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57. 4.3 STEP 3: Approve your strategy and tactics
Your strategy is part of the big picture - what approach must your CCT take to get
over the mountain and attain your goals? While your strategy must be based on
the situation at hand, all crisis scenarios will require you to:
1. Tell the truth about the situation without compromising
private information or matters still under investigation.
2. Minimize damaging media coverage.
3. Uphold the safety of your employees and/or
clients/consumers.
4. Stay on message and communicate effectively.
5. Restore trust in your organization and get back to business
as usual.
By following this line of attack, any crisis scenario will be easier to tackle.
The entire communications process starts with telling the truth - be upfront with
the media, your employees, your clients, and all concerned publics. Withholding
information or trying to cover-up a mishap will only make the situation worse
resulting in a total loss of credibility.
Building effective strategies and tactics that will communicate key information in
a crisis situation, takes creativity. Use the template provided to brainstorm some
strategic concepts and three corresponding tactics to achieve those ends.
Apologize to retailers
directly
Restore retailer
confidence
after product recall Provide detailed
information on
affected products
Grant full refunds to
retailers
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59. 4.4 STEP 4: Establish effective key messages
As a communications professional, you should be well aware of what a key
message is - the primary thought that you want to leave with your target audience.
Key messages are the core of your writing.
While a key message can be drafted to engage, discuss, promote, or advocate,
the primary action you want your messages to perform in a crisis scenario, is to
inform. You must inform your audience of the current status of the situation, what
your organization is doing to reconcile the issue, and what actions you want your
audience to take, or in some cases, not to take.
Your key messages will differ according to the nature of the crisis and your target
audience in a particular circumstance, however; you can prepare for any situation
by constructing some universal key messages here. In all crisis scenarios, your
first key message must be a sincere apology for any duress, misdoing, damages,
etc. It is important to always begin your messaging by admitting any wrongdoing
in order to restore trust in your brand.
Key messages chart
Key message one:
We sincerely apologize for
(situation)_____________________________, as it was never our
intention to (outcome)_________________________.
Key message two:
(Your organization)_____________________________ is committed to
providing quality (product or service) ____________________ to
(publics)____________________________________ for years to come.
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Key message three:
We are currently (actions) ____________________________________
to resolve this issue and greatly appreciate your understanding in this
difficult matter.
Additional key messages
Key message four:
Key message five:
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61. In order to avoid bombarding your audience with information that is not pertinent
to them, try to compile the relevant information into concise key messages that
are clear and complete. The following checklist will help you ensure your
messages are effective:
Question Yes No
Have you identified a specific target audience?
Are your messages easily understood by your target
audience?
Did you avoid the use of jargon?
Are your messages concise (max.30 words, 10 seconds)?
Were the key messages the focus of the dialogue?
Did you provide the most important items first?
Is there an appropriate call to action?
Have you answered the question: How does this affect
me?
Are your key messages supported by proven, sourced
facts?
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4.5 STEP 5. Define the proper channels for communication
Audience demographics and psychographics dictate that each
audience will respond differently to a particular channel of
communication. How can you best reach your identified target
audience in a time of crisis to inform, influence, and
persuade?
Various channels are used in all communications campaigns,
however; during a time of crisis, it is important to have some tools waiting in your
back pocket.
Establish a dark site
A dark site is a website that has been prepared by your information technology
specialist and is ready to go live when the need arises. Web developers should
purchase web addresses in anticipation of a Level 3 or 4 crisis scenario – in the
middle of a crisis it is often too late to negotiate website design and functionality.
Define a social media strategy
If you don’t already have a solid social media presence, get started. Your social
media specialist needs to respond to concerns, address false claims, and get the
right angle on the story in the online community. It is virtually impossible to
monitor what is being said online without having an ear to the ground. Be active
with the social media tools your organization has deemed appropriate in order to
make connections with this community and proactively uphold your brand in a
positive light.
Prepare traditional communications tools
To manage an internal communications situation, traditional modes of
communications still work effectively. Intranet notifications, a memo posted to
the employee message board, meetings and announcements, are all still effective
ways to reach internal publics. Make sure you are using these tools to your
advantage and decide whose responsibility it is to prepare such materials now.
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63. 4.6 STEP 6: Final planning checklist
Before approaching the media, it is important to make sure that you are fully
equipped to answer all inquiries. This checklist will ensure that you have not
forgotten any key steps before your story goes public and you plan your media
strategy in the next section.
Question Yes No
Has the crisis response team been notified?
Have all levels of management been properly
informed?
Have you clearly identified the intensity of the current
situation?
Is there a consensus amongst your CCT of what must
be done to respond to the crisis?
Do you have effective key messages?
Have you identified all applicable target audiences?
Do you know how to reach them?
Have you developed a general strategy and
corresponding tactics?
Have identified goals and SMART objectives?
Have you considered all possible outcomes of your
actions?
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5.0 Media relations: How to handle the mob
Not all crisis scenarios will garner media attention – in fact, it
is best if they don’t. However, if your story is big or impactful
enough to draw the awareness of the media, you better be
prepared. If you are scrambling when a reporter calls or
suddenly a whole mob of reporters are perched on your
doorstep, your organization’s reputation is at stake and you must
proceed carefully and confidently.
Although facing a forceful media inquiry can be a scary thought, reporters can
also act as allies, helping you inform the community of the current issue. You
must work with the media staying upfront, honest, and cooperative at all times.
In this section, you must take a look at your current media relations archives to
determine what materials are on hand and ready to be sent out to journalists if
requested - do you have media kits, B-roll, audio clips, etc. easily available? The
more pre-prepared materials you have, the more equipped you will be when the
heat is on.
5.1 Construct a media list
Begin your preparation by constructing a media list. You should already have a
working media list at your disposal, but now is the opportune time to make sure it
is up-to-date. Depending on the severity of your crisis situation, you may suddenly
be dealing with media attention outside of your regular contacts. Sometimes
reporters are contacting you for information and sometimes you are working hard
to get to them first with your key messages – the ladder is preferred.
Use the templates provided on the following pages to record the names and
contact information of key media influencers.
*Templates are divided by the various types of media channels.
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69. Radio
Name Position Outlet Phone Fax E-mail Special
notes
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Online community
Name Position Outlet Phone Fax E-mail Special
notes
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71. 5.2 Identify a spokesperson
Choosing the appropriate spokesperson to represent your organization in a time of
crisis is a crucial part of your crisis communication planning as this person is the
human face of your organization. The chosen person must deliver your key
messages in a manner that is sympathetic to those affected by the crisis at hand,
offering compassion and empathy.
This person could be a communications officer, an expert, or a senior advisor such
as your CEO. Whoever you choose, this person must be made credible by having a
full knowledgeable of the working of your organization, a history with your
organization, and a clean record check. The following checklist will help make the
choice easier.
Question Yes No
Does the individual have a personality or story that will
resonate with both the media and audience?
Is the spokesperson relevant to the target audience or
demographic?
Does your potential spokesperson have a working
knowledge of your organization?
Does your spokesperson have a history with your
organization or issue? Can they demonstrate competence
and expertise on the issue at hand?
Have you performed a comprehensive background check
on potential candidates?
Is your spokesperson media savvy?
Can they express empathy, sensitivity to the issue, and
remain poised under pressure?
Is the spokesperson easily capable of staying on
message?
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5.3 Train your spokesperson
Your spokesperson might be your CEO, your communications director, or an
outside person who has a history with your organization and the issue at hand.
However, whoever it is, they must be trained and prepared to deal with difficult
media inquiries.
Media training is a discipline all to itself - making your candidate appear
comfortable and secure in front of a camera in a difficult circumstance is not an
easy task and requires expert training.
Follow this checklist with your spokesperson and media relations specialist before
answering any media inquiries to ensure you will be prepared.
Question Yes No
Are you familiar with the relevant key messages?
Are you currently aware of public perception?
Have you tested your messages prior to delivery?
Can you consistently express and show concern, empathy
and compassion?
Are you able to sincerely accept responsibility?
Are you able to offer an apology?
Can you provide a summary of facts on the organization
and the action plan in place?
Are you able to be 100 per cent honest in your
responses?
Can you emphasize dedication, commitment and social
responsibility?
Can you provide examples and understandable analogies
to establish understanding?
Can you avoid saying “no comment”?
Can you stay on point/on message?
Can you avoid the use of technical jargon?
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73. Can you avoid using humour to address the seriousness
of the situation?
Can you stay calm under pressure?
Can you avoid defensive, argumentative and unreceptive
body language, such as crossed arms?
Can you make consistent eye contact?
Are you sensitive to the non-verbal messages you were
communicating?
Can you provide your full attention to those asking
questions?
Can you avoid fidgeting or disruptive behavior?
Have you reviewed your performance with management?
Are you aware of and comfortable with your role in the
organization going forward?
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5.4 Sample documents
The tools that you use to contact, inform, and present your story to the media are
fairly uniform and standardized whatever the situation might be. Therefore, make
sure that you are familiar with the following templates that will need to be rolled
out when the time calls.
• News release
• Media advisory
• Holding statement
• Empathy statement
• FAQ list
News release
A news release is a PR practitioner’s best friend. It is a key communications tool
in a time of calm, and it will now support you in a time of crisis. Make sure you are
well versed in creating effective leads, sticking to proper formatting, and following
standardized criteria. (Remember to follow an inverted pyramid style when
presenting pertinent information.)
Media advisory
In a crisis situation, a media advisory can be used to give reporters details on your
upcoming press conference where you will give them more information in a more
controlled and stable environment. Use this template to create an “invitation” to
your press conference highlighting the 5Ws of the event.
Holding statement
A holding statement will inform the press that a crisis situation has just broken,
and you will give them more information when it is available. A holding statement
will inform the media that you are presently working to determine the nature of
the scenario and that matters are currently under investigation.
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75. Empathy statement
An empathy statement is an important tool in your crisis media relations plan as it
expresses your sympathy and compassion, and informs the public that your
organization is working to correct the problem. Accidents happen, but it is with an
empathy statement that you will have a platform to address the issue at hand and
deliver a sincere apology.
FAQ list
Preparing a frequently asked questions list will help you anticipate the hard
questions reporters will most likely ask, letting you prepare answers that are
informed and can be delivered with confidence. Simply create a list of the top 30
questions a reporter might ask your spokesperson, making sure to hit on the
difficult topics while answering all of the 5Ws.
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5.5 News release template
Put on organizational letterhead
NEWS RELEASE
April 15, 2011
Contact: Contact person, position
###-###-#### (office)
###-###-#### (cell)
name@company.com (e-mail)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Headline should be bolded, lower case
(Location): The lead should expand on the headline by answering who, what,
when, where, and why?
The second paragraph should provide additional facts relevant to the
situation.
“The third paragraph should encompass a quote from the most
relevant source,” says John Smith, director of communications for Company
X. “Offer new information. Every word should count, so don’t waste space.”
Under most circumstances, the news release should be a maximum
of 250 words. “Finish it off with another quote,” says Smith. “You can use
the same speaker or a different source to highlight various aspects of the
crisis.”
The boilerplate is usually found at the end of a press release, and briefly
describes the organization related above. The short paragraph consists of
just a few sentences and is generally used on every press release.
Boilerplates should be up-to-date, clearly written and short.
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77. 5.6 Media advisory template
Put on organizational letterhead
MEDIA ADVISORY
April 15, 2011
Contact: Contact person, position
###-###-#### (office)
###-###-#### (cell)
name@company.com (e-mail)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Headline should focus on the newsworthy item
(Location): The opening paragraph should provide the basics of the 5Ws but
stimulate media to learn more. Mention any persons of interest, such as
dignitaries and elected officials who are key to the event.
What: Describe the event.
When: April 22, 2011; 7:00 p.m.
Provide the best time for photos, if applicable.
Where: Address, location of event and parking directions.
Who: A list of important people who will be attending your event.
Why: State the reason for the event and, in brief, what will be
covered. Do not, however, provide specific information, as that
may deter media from attending.
For more information, visit www.organizationname.com
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5.7 Holding statement template
Put on organizational letterhead
HOLDING STATEMENT
April 15, 2011
Contact: Contact person, position
###-###-#### (office)
###-###-#### (cell)
name@company.com (e-mail)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Incident at (place of crisis)
(Location): Company A has just been informed that… Company A is
concerned with….
Paragraph two should give as many of the 5Ws that are known at the
present time. Make sure that you are aware of legal requirements and not
releasing confidential information at this time.
“The third paragraph should encompass a quote from the most
relevant source,” says John Smith, director of communications for Company
A.
Let the media know what actions are currently being undertaken by
your organization to address the current situation and address who might
be affected by this issue and what they should do.
Inform the media that additional information will be provided when it
is available at a press conference (where and when), through further news
releases, or on your website: www.organizationname.com
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79. 5.8 Empathy statement template
Put on organizational letterhead
EMPATHY STATEMENT
April 15, 2011
Contact: Contact person, position
###-###-#### (office)
###-###-#### (cell)
name@company.com (e-mail)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Incident at (place of crisis)
The following statement was released by (Name, title, and name of
operation) following the (short description of incident and location.)
(Location): We understand the concerns, fears, and questions you may have
about the (incident) that took place (time frame.) Our thoughts and prayers
are with our employees and their families.
At this time, we are doing everything we can to (actions being taken).
“The safety and well-being of our (those affected) is our first priority,” says
spokesperson.
Inform the media that additional information will be provided when it
is available at a press conference (where and when), through further news
releases, or on your website: www.organizationname.com
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5.9 FAQ list
1. What went wrong?
2. What caused the problem?
3. Who is at fault?
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30. Who much will the relief effort cost?
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81. 5.10 Media centre
In crisis Level 3 and 4 scenarios, media attention will
be so intense that a media centre will be required to
handle the volume of media inquires received and to
regularly brief reporters when news breaks. A media
centre will also allow your CCT to work closely with both
local and regional media in cooperation to deliver the
necessary information to the general public. Therefore,
your media centre must be a accommodating and
comfortable environment for this exchange of information to take place.
In such an intense level of crisis, be prepared to provide the media with:
• Information in a timely manner,
• Straight facts, reliable sources, and relevant materials, and
• Readily available points of contact for quotes and more
information.
When setting-up your media centre where the action will take place, use the
following logistics checklist to ensure you are meeting reporters’ needs.
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5.11 Logistics checklist
Quickly establish a site for the media before they do. This location
should be:
• A secure location
• Easily accessible
• As comfortable as possible
• Coordinated with regulators
• Away from family and employees
• Away from the site of the incident
The media centre must accommodate:
• Sufficient parking space with room for satellite trucks
• A private consultation room
• Toilet facilities and fresh water
• Sufficient space for a podium and chairs
Additional equipment:
• Computers/internet access
• Copy machine and paper/fax machine and paper
• Electronic outlets
• A/V equipment
• Flip charts and markers
• Notepaper/pens
• Landlines (incase of no cell phone coverage)
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83. 5.12 Location research
The middle of a crisis is not the time to find a location for your media centre. Take
the time before an issue breaks to research potential locations that you can have
on file when needed. Do some research to determine the size of available
locations, how long such a venue must be booked in advance, and make initial
contact with location representatives.
Use the following template to compile this information.
Location Size Parking Equipment Reservation Cost Contact
leadtime name and #
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5.13 Contact Log
It is important to keep track of who asked what to whom, when. By keeping a
contact log, you can monitor the exchange of information in the event that a point
is later questioned or needs to be followed up. Your log should look like the
following:
Date Contact Contact Spoke Details Phone E-mail Action
time name info with
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85. Date Contact Contact Spoke Details Phone E-mail Action
time name info with
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5.14 Media Monitoring Log
Once you have done your job of providing the media with the most timely and
accurate information, it is time to monitor the coverage your story is garnering
from both local and in some cases, international media outlets. Key criteria to
look for are whether coverage had a positive, neutral, or negative tone, and the
reach of the story. It is also important to note if the coverage touches upon your
key messages and to assess the overall credibility of your spokesperson in
delivering those messages.
Your Media Monitoring Log should look like the following:
Tone Ratings 1-10
Date Media Location Type Reach + / - key messages
published outlet spokesperson mention
credibility
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87.
5.15 Potential pitfalls
Avoid using “I.”
• Speak for the organization using the name or the pronoun “we”
• Avoid the impression that you, alone, are the authority or the sole
decision-maker
• Never disagree with the organization you represent saying: “Personally,
I don’t agree,” or “Speaking for myself…”
Avoid speculation.
• Stick to the facts of what has, is, and will be done
• Avoid speculating on worst-case scenarios or pre-determining possible
outcomes
Avoid making promises you can’t keep.
• Promise only what you can deliver
• State your willingness to explore other options
Avoid jargon, technical terms or acronyms.
• Limit their use and fully explain those you must use.
Avoid negative words and phrases.
• Stay optimistic
• Avoid highly-charged analogies, like “At least this is not Bhopal”
Don’t blame others.
• Accept your fair share of responsibility
• Don’t point fingers at others
• Focus your communications on how problems can be rectified, not
whose fault it is
Avoid using humour as a crutch.
• Humour of any kind is not appropriate in a crisis situation
Don’t repeat negative allegations.
• Refute critical allegations concisely
• Draw upon and reinforce your key messages of reparation and support
Don’t become defensive.
• Respond to issues not personalities
• End debates rather than continue them
• Stay calm in all situations
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6.0 Evaluation and moving forward: Are you on track?
After the heat of the crisis has died down, don't let negative content define
you or your organization. Although you cannot go back in time and erase
what happened, you can now begin to focus on the future and rebuild
your reputation, repair public trust, and strengthening your brand.
Will effective issues management is the more proactive approach,
after a crisis, reputation repair is a reactive measure. Over time,
managing and controlling your reputation should become easier and
easier.
6.1 Evaluation
If you took the time to create SMART objectives, you can now see if you
successfully met your goals and begin to evaluate the effectiveness of your crisis
communications efforts. By using your original SMART objectives as a measuring
tool, you will discover your CCT’s strengths and weaknesses, helping you prepare
yourself for future scenarios that could be more or less intense.
Use the following template to plug in your original goals and objectives and
compare the outcome of each effort.
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6.2 Budgeting
Resolving a crisis situation can be a very costly matter. However, if you don’t do
anything, your organization could suffer the risk of extinction. While great efforts
need to be made to address the issue at hand, it is important to track your
spending on reparations to avoid hitting bankruptcy.
While it is impossible to project the total cost of your campaign, it is important to
always keep track of your expenditures. Spending will be an ongoing concern,
therefore; your financial experts and senior management team need to be
consulted before any large expenses are approved.
The budget template in the Appendix will help you to track your finances.
6.3 Changing the conversation
If you don’t like what people are saying about your organization after the fallout, it
is now time to change the conversation.
By publicly changing your conduct, you can project an image of a more advanced
and mature brand than before the crisis situation occurred. A campaign designed
to highlight good works and corporate social responsibility will demonstrate
growth and help to restore the public trust.
Corporate social responsibility or CSR is a very popular concept in the marketing
and communications industry today. While thinking strategically, you want to
make sure that your efforts are still regarded as authentic and sincere without
appearing forged – leading to further damage of your reputation and insulting
your publics.
Use the following template to brainstorm PR campaign strategies that will
demonstrate the reverse of what people are saying about you right now.
While a natural disaster or a crashing stock market are situations that are
completely out of your control, diligently following the advice given in this
handbook and taking responsibility for filling out the templates provided, will help
give you perspective, challenge your current mode of conduct, and alert you to
possible dangers.
Always remember that proactive issues management is the most effective way to
avoid a crisis scenario, keeping you moving in the right direction.
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