
Have a Plan
The most important reminder for every company is to have a crisis communications plan. One panelist shared her stories of evacuating more than 2,000 individuals to safety during Hurricanes Irma and Maria, where she noted a plan is “a valuable starting point,” and an important roadmap to know and determine who does what.
Not having a plan in place “only adds to the crisis,”
mentioned one panelist who was called on to help with crisis communications
following the Manchester Arena tragedy last summer.
We counsel clients to have a detailed plan that includes
employee procedures and protocols. This should be in place before a crisis occurs, so everyone knows his or her role. As with
any plan, it is also important to remember to remain nimble. Plans change in
the day-to-day, and this is extremely true during a crisis. Remaining calm
under pressure is a feat – but can be invaluable.
The third panelist, who also worked with the students during
the hurricanes, shared how her team remained flexible and how that was
beneficial in managing communications. “We brought members on the team who
might not have been on there otherwise,” she said.
Social is Your Friend
While social media can sometimes seem like a deadly trap for
negative news to go viral, it is a perfect platform for providing a quick
response when you are ready to spread the word.
All the panelists highlighted Twitter and Facebook for news
sharing, and the importance of being active where the conversation was taking
place. Following the hurricanes, it was especially important to find the
individual private class year Facebook groups to reach the students.
Social media is important for sharing news, and monitoring
for updates – including from those affected directly by the crisis. It can also
be a great tool to share a brief statement so media can easily find it, as was
the case for those leading efforts after the Manchester arena tragedy.
Be Engaged and Accurate
In the event of a crisis, the media will ask for a
statement. While a speedy response may feel imperative, it is invaluable to
provide accurate information. Trust yourselves, and the organization, to find
the correct information before sharing something that might be inaccurate.
As the media continue to ask for information through the
duration of the crisis, it is valuable to stay in communication with them. Even
if there are no new updates, keeping in touch can be a crucial tactic to
maintain the lines of communication with reporters.
No comments :
Post a Comment