Communicating during a crisis: 5 things to remember
In their book Effective Public Relations, Scott M. Cutlip, Allen H. Center and Glen M. Broom write that “Immediate crises—the most dreaded type—happen so suddenly and unexpectedly that there is little or no time for research and planning.” Those words have really hit home during the past two weeks following the massive oil spill off the Louisiana coast that is slowly making its way toward our beautiful Gulf Coast beaches. Fortunately, the windstream has slowed down the spill’s progress and given us time to communicate. Here are some tips on communicating during a crisis:
1. Identify a spokesperson for your organization. Ensure that all employees know to direct any media inquiries to the appointed person. It should be someone in a position of authority who can clearly communicate on behalf of the organization.
2. Be honest and transparent. Don’t evade media questions. If you don’t know the answer, say so.
3. Respond quickly to all media requests. I always say it’s better to answer a hard question than have the reporter ask someone else. You can control your own responses but you can’t control the other guy’s.
4. Communicate from “the inside out.” That is, identify every group of people who are affected by your information and communicate with those who are most impacted first.
5. Keep your employees updated at all times. They are your first line of information and if they are kept in the loop, they can help to get the right message out more quickly.
Most importantly, have a crisis communication plan in place for your company, update it at least annually and ensure that everyone in the organization is familiar with it.
