Last year, Facebook dealt with one of the biggest crises in its history, after admittedly knowing Cambridge Analytica improperly accessed data of millions of its users. Instead of being transparent, Facebook stayed silent, which –like always— led to consumers questioning Facebook’s values. Because of the mass exposure from social media, crises have become a lot more damaging to companies.
Every major corporation will face crises. Whether you are part of an in-house communications team, or work for a public relations firm you will be tasked with the responsibility of responding to a crisis.
“Crisis communication is communication within a crisis,” said Jake Slater, director of marketing for Ascend Education. “When a crisis arises within an organization you need to effectively communicate to all parties involved, which could be to other organizations or a key public.” He continued, “Ultimately, it’s being transparent.”
The responsibilities that come from crisis communication will be slightly less daunting if you are prepared with a crisis communications plan.
What is a crisis communications plan?
A crisis communications plan is an important component of any public relations strategy. Major crises have a large impact on a business’ bottom line and reputation, so knowing how to respond to a crisis is a huge plus for an organization.
The plan should include answers to questions such as, “What is the worst-case scenario for this situation? What should we do if this launch is interpreted incorrectly? Who should be the spokesperson for the company? What type of messaging does the company need to put forth? How can we keep our relationships with our publics strong?”
If your team has answers to these questions you will be ahead in your crisis communications. You should also train with your team regularly to continually brainstorm and improve upon your original plan, because developing a good strategic plan takes time and effort.
Having a plan before crisis strikes
It’s not if a crisis will strike, it’s when a crisis will strike, so it’s important to stay ahead of the game. Most crises are foreseeable, and companies can take precautionary steps to help their crisis response operate smoothly.
Map out potential crises and have your team deal with them to see where they falter or where they excelled. Make sure to fine tune the process and write it down. Now you have a plan that can help your team feel more confident when a crisis does arise, even if it’s a crisis different from the one you originally predicted.
When asked about a crisis communications plan Jake stated, “It’s something that needs to be preemptive as far as if a crisis arises. You need to have a plan already in place.” He continued, “Obviously, things won’t pan out to be the same, but these things need to be thought about before the crisis arises, so you can effectively communicate.”
PR is not all about sales and numbers; it’s about relationship building and reputation. Not only is it important to work on strategic campaigns for product launches or corporate social responsibility efforts, but it’s also important to look at what can cause damage to your company’s relationships and your company’s reputation. You and your team have many responsibilities that may seem more time sensitive but carving out time to work on a crisis communication plan is key to running a successful PR team.
Why PR professionals are good at crisis communications
PR pros are used to hitting short deadlines, dealing with mishaps and organizing extensive strategic campaigns. These professionals are trained to create quick and meaningful action, so when crisis hits, they’ll stay calm and work hard to figure out what to do before the worst-case scenario happens.
They are also trained to communicate effectively with key publics and target audiences. Your team knows which messages work best with a specific key public, and they know which messages to avoid. Your team also knows how to be most effective by choosing the best channels to communicate through.
Finally, most PR pros will say that transparency is the best policy. They know that the truth will always come out, so why not have it come out from the source, not from a third party. Accurately reporting facts and being transparent may hurt at first, but in the long run, it will help maintain your company’s reputation and relationships.
Crisis communication is important for any PR team. If you take the time to prepare a crisis communication plan, your team will be better prepared for when a crisis strikes the company you are working for.
Comments