During a crisis, you will need to communicate with all your “shareholders” including employees, clients, your community, board of directors, government agencies, etc. This communication is likely to take place in many forms including telephone calls, emails, meetings and written communications.
Information will also be released through the media. It is critical that information released to the media during a crisis be both factual and timely. That is not to say that information won’t change during a crisis. But when it does, it is your responsibility to give the media updates.
Questions to Expect
- What happened?
- Has it been contained?
- How did it happen?
- Who was affected?
- How long have you known?
Survival Media Tips
- Appoint one spokesperson
- Respond immediately
- Show empathy for the victims
- Don’t assume blame and don’t blame others
- Establish an area to hold media interviews
- Determine you key messages and stick to them
The first 24 hours of a crisis is the critical period. How your organization responds during this period can determine how the public will view your later actions.
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