Page 56 - Crisis Communication Practical PR Strategies

Proactive Crisis Communication Planning 37
3
7

More communication notes – getting
together

If the crisis team members are not located in the same place
then there may be a need for more sophisticated communica-
tion than all walking into the same office. More critically, the
crisis committee (the brain) needs to be in a situation in which
they can discuss the crisis and the suitable communication. If
dispersed and your office phones do not support conference
calls (or if there is a chance that no one will be in the office at a
time that a crisis hits) you might want to prepare a conference-
call facility. There are a number that are secure and free to use
on the web. The crisis communication point is responsible for
carrying out the research in the planning stage in case it is called
upon.

Once a crisis communication situation is in progress, all communica-
tion flows to and from the communication point. The communication
point uses the spokespeople and the press contact team as the conduit
to the press and thus to all stakeholders.

3. Keeping track of the press

Internally, when it comes to a crisis situation, contact with the press
needs to be measured and recorded. It pays to have a press contact
sheet ready for use once a crisis hits. Just like a crisis directory, this is a
simple form, but will be worth its preparation before the crisis.