Quick Guide To Creating Effective Crisis Communication

By Author: Akansh Malik
Total Articles: 67
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Crisis communication is believed to be a sub specialty of all public relations firms. It is a type of communication designed by PR firms to protect and defend an individual, company or an organization facing a public crisis. The communication is designed for unpredictable events which can potentially affect the business and put it in negative light in the eyes of the public.
Here is a quick guide a business needs to follow to create an effective crisis communication:
 
Anticipate Crisis
Most business work under the assumption that when it comes to a major crisis, ‘it can’t happen to us’. However, this is an extremely risky position to take. It is crucial for every business to anticipate and prepare for any potential crisis which may arise.
 
Identify Crisis Communication Team
It is important for the business to select a few senior executives as a crisis communications support team. In cases where the business does not have its own PR ...
... team, they can hire an agency for their crisis management services.
 
Determine Primary Audience
The response to the public crisis will covered by all media. However, it is still important for the business to identify the primary audience which will include both the employees as well as the customers of the business. Depending on the type of crisis, the audience which needs to be targeted must be identified. The team should also prepare in advance for different crises and how to tackle them should they arise.
 
Anticipate Likely Questions
Depending on the different types of crisis’s which may arise the crisis communication team including the crisis management services should anticipate the types of questions and queries which may arise. This helps the business be prepared and respond in a more effective manner to the crisis.
 
Identify and Train Spokespersons
When dealing with any type of crisis the business and the crisis management services hired must select the spokesperson for the business. The spokesperson during the crisis will be the face of the business. Hence the individual chosen should be articulate and be able to handle the pressure. The chosen individual should be trained meticulously to speak to the media. The spokesperson should have the right skills, the right position and the correct training as well.
 
Select Medium of Communication
Even though the media would be covering the crisis and the communication being sent out by the organization, the business must still select the medium from which they primarily wish to communicate to their audience.
 
Setup Notification and Monitoring System
Any crisis management service will explain that it is crucial not only to create effective communication but also setting up a monitoring system to check the effectiveness of the communication. The notification system also allows the business to reach their stakeholders immediately through a number of modes.   
 
When creating effective crisis communication, it is important for any business to assess the situation and create messages which help avert the crisis and prevent any negative outcome from arising.