Why You Need a Crisis Communications Plan
In Hemmingway’s 1926 novel, The Sun Also Rises, a character, when asked how he went bankrupt answers “Two ways…gradually and then suddenly.” When a crisis hits your organisation, it follows the same trajectory: once it gains momentum, things will happen fast and if you don’t have a crisis communications plan in place, you risk being left in the dust.
Like insurance, a crisis communications plan is an investment you make not because you think you’ll have to use it, but to have peace of mind that if you need it, it will be there.
And as much as you’d like to hope otherwise, crises can strike at any time. It might be a product recall, a data breach, a misbehaving executive, or a social media firestorm. It might even be that your organisation is suddenly embroiled in the news story of the day. Imagine you’re a spokesperson for retailer Costco. You probably didn’t start your day thinking that you’d have to issue a denial that your stores sold baby oil after the lawyer for disgraced rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs proffered an enthusiasm for bulk purchases as the reason the FBI found 1000 bottles of it when they raided his residence, and yet, that happened.
When bad things happen, negative media coverage is usually not far behind. How you respond to this tribulation can make or break your brand’s reputation. Ignoring the media and hoping it goes away is not a great idea. Neither is saying the wrong thing and turning one negative story into many. The ultimate is doing so many things wrong that they start using you as a case study on how not to do crisis communications.
Crisis communication is not just about damage control, it’s about maintaining trust, transparency, and credibility with your audience.
Here’s how you navigate a crisis effectively.
Prepare your Crisis Communications Plan
The best time to come up with a plan to deal with a crisis is before it even happens. That way if, and when, it does, you can act swiftly and decisively. Develop a crisis comms playbook in which you:
- Identify potential crises (and ideally figure out if the crisis can be averted entirely)
- Designate key roles and responsibilities, including who is authorised to speak to the media
- Create templates for holding statements, press releases, and social media posts that can be quickly adapted when needed.
- Establish communication channels for not just how you’ll communicate internally and externally, but who will tell which people in what order.
- Set a cadence for how often the crisis communications playbook needs to be updated so the information is always relevant.
Move fast
If people don’t hear from you in a crisis, they’ll start filling the silence with their own story, and that can that be that you are indifferent or guilty. Responding quickly instils confidence that you’re aware of the situation and taking it seriously, so don’t dawdle on executing your crisis communications plan.
Even if you don’t have all the details, issue a brief holding statement acknowledging the situation and assuring stakeholders that you’re addressing it. You want to stick to facts and avoid making promises or assumptions until you have verified them. Things change rapidly in a crisis, but information can be slow and unreliable, and the last thing you want to do is say something you later have to backtrack because it was incorrect.
And don’t lie in general. Misleading the public or withholding information will damage your credibility and escalate the crisis. Admit mistakes and take responsibility where appropriate and if there’s a chance there’s more damning information that could come to light, proceed on the assumption that it will. Having to constantly correct yourself as new facts come to light will torpedo your credibility.
Keep stakeholders informed as the situation evolves, even if there’s no new information, and use clear, simple language.
And finally, make sure you pause any other company communications, such as advertising and scheduled social media posts. The last thing you want is to inadvertently say something that looks tone deaf.
Show Empathy and Compassion
Yes, this is a scary, stressful time for you, but a crisis often involves customers, employees, or the public who may be affected physically, emotionally or financially. If you show anything other than empathy in a crisis, they’ll remember that forever.
Express concern for those affected and show you care about their well-being. You want to protect your brand, but it can’t be at the cost of ignoring suffering you’ve caused. Be sincere, compassionate, and avoid sounding defensive.
Designate a Spokesperson
You’ll want to have a single, credible voice representing your organisation to prevent mixed messages and avoid releasing information before appropriate steps like informing stakeholders. Make sure they are calm, articulate, and knowledgeable about the situation. Ensure they’re media trained, not just for regular media engagements, but one that prepares them to handle tough questions.
Monitor the Situation and Adapt
Crises are fluid, with new developments emerging rapidly. Be ready to adjust your PR strategy and crisis communications plan as needed. Inform these changes by using monitoring tools to stay on top of conversations and sentiment in both media and social media.
It’s inevitable that misinformation will arise in the confusion, so correct false narratives quickly and provide accurate information. Depending on the scale this can be a press conference, media statement, statement on your channels or all of the above.
Uses your Digital Channels
Social media and your website are critical tools for a crisis communication plan. Make your social media the place to post updates, respond to questions, and address concerns quickly. Depending on the scale of the crisis you might want to create a dedicated crisis page on your website with FAQs, statements, and contact information.
As much as possible engage your audience: Respond to comments and messages promptly, even if it’s just to say, “we’re looking into this.” Ideally, your crisis communications plan should include a response matrix, so it’s easy for a social media manager to manage quickly.
In Aftermath
Once the crisis is resolved, you need to reflect and learn from it – not just from a communications perspective, but for the whole business. Conduct a post-crisis review with your internal stakeholders, analyse what worked, what didn’t, and why. Use this information to update your crisis communications plan to better prepare for future crises.
But your work is not over yet, you need to rebuild trust. Continue engaging with your audience and demonstrate your commitment to improvement. This cannot be hollow words but needs to be backed by action. If the brand bears responsibility for the crisis, it needs to own that.
Looking further ahead, once it’s appropriate, you can start rebuilding your band’s image, with media campaigns that generate neutral or positive stories. You’re not going to outrun the crisis – odds are that it will come up in interviews and you will have to be transparent about what’s changed – but you can show how you’re learning and moving past it.
Crisis communication is not just about surviving a storm – it’s about emerging stronger and more resilient. By being prepared, acting quickly, and prioritising transparency and empathy, you can turn a potential disaster into an opportunity to reinforce trust and loyalty with your audience. Remember, it’s not the crisis itself that defines your brand, but how you respond.
Need help preparing for a crisis? Contact us to build your crisis communication plan to ensure you’re ready to handle bad news before it comes to your door.
