Mastering Crisis Communication: 7 Essential Rules for Organizations (Full Transcript)

Speaker 1: Hi, my partner here and I would like to pass on some wisdom to you.

Speaker 2: Yes, you could find this in the Crisis Communication book co-authored by these guys.

Speaker 1: Or you can listen to us.

Speaker 2: The book is a thorough guide to help prepare an organization for unexpected calamities. It provides information on accountability, planning, building corporate image, natural disasters, accidents, financial crises, legal issues, corporate reorganization, food crises, negative press, media training and risk management.

Speaker 1: So here goes, the seven rules of Crisis Communications for those that prefer to listen to us rather than pony up for the book.

Speaker 2: Number one, people. The team involved in managing crisis communications should be fully briefed on who will contact who in the event of a crisis and which method of contact they will use.

Speaker 1: Number two, roles and tasks. Have a checklist of what role each team member will fulfill during the crisis and what tasks they are assigned as the crisis breaks during and after the crisis. Suggested roles include briefing members of the board, internal communications and keeping staff informed, media relations, media monitoring, and online monitoring.

Speaker 2: Number three, messages. Work out in advance the key messages you will want to communicate in a crisis. Don't bother with corporate messages about visions and mission statements. Journalists aren't interested in these. Think about what messages you want to get across, about which journalists will realistically write.

Speaker 1: Number four, draft statements and responses. Having template statements ready prepared can help you turn things around quickly when a crisis breaks. Have background facts and question answer sheets about the company ready and to hand.

Speaker 2: Number five, speed. You need speed of response, but also speed of thinking and actions to be in control of the situation rather than panicking to catch up with the media. You want to run the pace of the story your way and have the media responding to you rather than the other way around.

Speaker 1: Number six, control. Work out how you will take control of the story for each likely scenario. The plan should identify media trained spokespeople who can talk in a crisis. Have some ready prepared images available. If you don't, the media may look elsewhere to fill the gap.

Speaker 2: And finally number seven, practice. Journalists need to be familiar with the crisis communications plan. Net Results recommends crisis training twice a year and a simulation exercise at least once a year.

Speaker 1: Net Results?

Speaker 2: Yes.

Speaker 3: Call the nice people at Net Results now and they'll hook you up.