Make sure you have a crisis communications survival kit

As northern Nevada continues to recover from far more than its fair share of adversity and tragedy in 2011, the resolve and courage displayed by so many over the past year has served as an important reminder to all of us that vigilant emergency preparedness can benefit our families and businesses, alike. Calamity can strike at any time and in many forms. Though not always as significant and high-profile as many of the situations we saw last year, even the seemingly smallest crisis can be devastating for a business or community organization that isn't properly prepared.

A crisis is never convenient and it usually occurs when you least expect it. But, with planning and foresight, a crisis doesn't have to catch you off guard. Crises can come in many forms, from life-and-death situations to union grievances; from facility closings to accusations of illegal improprieties. While it's nearly impossible to predict all of the crisis scenarios that could befall your organization, crisis is almost inevitable and a good crisis communications plan can serve as your brand's "survival kit."

Simply put, a crisis is any event or situation that threatens the credibility and integrity of your organization's brand. And, in almost all crisis situations, your brand will change; whether it comes out stronger or weaker is up to you and how your company responds. There are many examples of brands that have faced immense hardship and public scrutiny that, because of their quick and diligent response, came out even stronger and more respected than before the crisis (Tylenol in the 1980s). Likewise, there are many recent, high-profile instances when poor response to a crisis has ravaged a company's brand and severely compromised customer and stakeholder loyalty (Enron, WorldCom and BP).

So, what should go into your crisis communications plan? First and foremost, this plan should serve as the blueprint for response to all crisis situations. Not only should it have contact information cell phone numbers, email addresses, etc. for your company's senior management and key personnel, it should also have a list of contacts for other key community organizations and community partners, such as the public information officers at the local emergency response agencies, hospitals and government agencies.

While developing your plan, it's important to remember a few important guidelines for effective crisis communications. The general rule of crisis communications is to "tell it all and tell it quickly." Theoretically, in a digital world where information is disseminated 24-hours a day and every citizen can be a journalist, this is a good rule to keep in mind. However, the reality is much more complex than being quick and forthcoming. An equally important, yet oft-forgotten rule of crisis communications is that, many times, a crisis can be as big as you make it. This means that, while it's absolutely necessary to not underestimate a crisis situation, it's also important to analyze each situation to determine the appropriate level of response. In other words, always assume the worst but just because someone tells you it's a crisis does not necessarily make it so, and responding inappropriately might make it a bigger issue than it needs to be.

The plan should identify a key and primary spokesperson that serves as the face for your company or organization during a crisis. This needs to be someone who is confident working with the press, shareholders, community leaders and other target audiences. This person should also be someone who understands the company's key messaging, conveys credibility and relates well with people. Also, as part of the plan, all employees and key stakeholders should be made aware that the designated spokesperson is the organization's only designated representative and that all requests for comment from the media and general public should be routed to this person.

The plan should also outline three to five of the company's overarching key message areas, allowing for quick message development during a crisis situation. In essence, this provides a simple communications platform needing to only tailor each message to address the immediate crisis.

Oftentimes, both before and during a crisis, these messages need to be developed in conjunction with the organization's legal counsel and it is important to work with the attorney to establish this as part of the communications protocol. It's true that there are times when the best public relations strategy might not be exactly aligned with the best legal strategy. Yet, developing a cohesive and integrated relationship between the communications team and the legal team can help ensure a strong brand response without compromising legal positioning.

While always communicating in a measured, premeditated fashion is important during any crisis, it is essential to quickly establish your company as the lead communicator and the primary source of information. One of the worst mistakes that can happen during a crisis is to delay communications until after the general public takes control of the messaging. Therefore, it is wise to include in your plan a template statement that can be issued to the press soon after a crisis develops that acknowledges the who, what, when and where of the issue, or, at the very least, that the organization is aware of the issue and is working to gather information and establish a resolution. The plan should also identify a general timeline for regular, consistent communication through a combination of written statements, press conferences, interviews, emails, etc.

Most importantly, with any crisis communications scenario, remain calm, composed and empathetic to employees, customers and the general public. These are high-stakes situations that require constant vigilance and planning and every business and organization, regardless of size, should be prepared with an appropriate crisis communications plan. In short, try to do the right thing for your key audiences, and be proactive about it, and your brand can endure any crisis.

Mike Draper is public affairs account supervisor at R&R Partners in Reno. Contact him at 336-4547 or Mike.draper@rrpartners.com.