Essentials of Crisis Communications Planning

It seems every week another organization or high-profile individual makes headlines because of bad publicity resulting from missteps or flawed decisions.

Target apologized for marketing a plus-sized dress in a color it dubbed “manatee grey.” Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, PNC and other banks have reportedly been hacked over the past few weeks. Rutgers University fired head basketball coach Mike Rice, and Tim Pernetti resigned as athletic director, after videos surfaced showing the coach physically and verbally abusing his players.

While it’s very difficult to anticipate every crisis, it is incumbent upon organizations that want to maintain a good public image to keep and regularly update a crisis communications plan. Think of it like a homeowners insurance policy: you hope you never have to use it, but it can save you a lot of hassle if and when you do need it.

Every proper crisis communications plan should include the following elements:

• Examples of crisis situations your organization might face, including worst-case scenarios. Depending on their severity, different scenarios may require different responses.
• A list of key messages that draw from your organization’s mission and values.
• A review of specific policies and strategies that may be impacted by different crises. For example, a minor defect in the manufacturing process may require an overhaul of your quality and inspections practices.
• An updated contact sheet, including crisis team members’ cell phone numbers and email addresses.
• Specific assignments for the team members. This designates who communicates with internal audiences, stakeholders, regulatory or legal authorities, the media, etc. Don’t wing it and make assignments after a crisis has already occurred.
• Monitoring and response assignments. Who will monitor social media, emails, phone calls and other interactive communications? Who has the authority to respond? Will you reply to each post/message or will you issue a public statement in various media?
• Plans for debriefing once the crisis is over. What have you learned? What would you do differently next time?
• Schedule for training and updating. This crisis PR team should practice regularly, and the plan itself should be updated at least annually.

To discover how S&A Cherokee can help with your crisis communications planning needs, contact us for a free consultation at (919) 674-6020.