Media Strategy and Plan
While a crisis communications plan is important, it should be part of an overall company media strategy. The time to get to know your media is not as a crisis breaks. Identify the individual(s) in your company you want to act as company spokesperson. It can be the Investor Relations Manager or the VP of Public Relations or anyone else you select.
The company spokesperson should get to know the reporters who cover your industry, as well as your local reporters. Make sure you cover print and television reporters. Also, these days, don't neglect the Internet reporters. Get to know their deadlines and the kinds of stories they care about. Take the time to cultivate a relationship. They won't necessarily write glowing reports about your company if you have a crisis, but they are more apt to be fair.
The US Information Agency (USIA) guide to A Responsible Press Office is no longer available online. However, the article How to Return A Phone Call is drawn in part from that publication. It provides specific suggestions for protecting your secrets while providing enough information to the press.
Here are the key things to remember when dealing with the media in a crisis situation:
- Know what you want to say and repeat it often
- Don't wait until you have "something to tell them". If you don't know, tell them you don't know and when you might have an answer.
- Be honest.
- Stick to the facts. Don't guess or speculate.
- Be concise and direct.
- Be aware of non-verbal communication you give. Dress appropriately, watch you mannerisms, and stay cool.
- Know the level of understanding of the reporter and their audience and speak to that.
Surviving the Crisis
The natural tendency in a crisis situation is to do the minimum necessary to get things under control. While this guarantees the minimum financial expenditure, it is not the best choice. It also guarantees that you will always be "behind the curve" of events.
Remember, in a crisis, you job is not to minimize the stockholder expense, it is to maximize the company's chances of survival. You need to limit the cost, but also you need to limit the damage to the company's reputation and credibility.
You need to react as quickly as a crisis breaks. Your company's spokesperson should begin to execute your crisis communication plan as soon as you become aware that this situation has become public knowledge.
Make sure your message gets out as quickly as possible to all the people you want it to get to. By acting quickly, and doing immediately the things you are eventually have to do anyway, you maximize your chances of staying ahead of events where you have some chance to influence the story.
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