Page 61 - Crisis Communication Practical PR Strategies

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4 42 Crisis Communication
page 216). As you identify situations, you’ll quickly find out that these
will not be completely developed messages. You’ll need to wait until
you are in the crisis situation before that can be done, but this process
will allow you to be ready.
You may be able to develop holding statements. Holding statements
are pre-prepared short messages that can be used in a crisis to indicate
to the media that you are taking the crisis seriously. They are ideal for
filling the ‘media vacuum’. Bear in mind that one of the worst things
that a company can be quoted as saying is, ‘No comment.’ A holding
statement allows you to fill the vacuum and gives you time to prepare
your full messages.

Sample holding statement A

A ___ [the crisis] at ___ [location] involving ___[company and
possibly names] occurred today at ___ [time and date]. The inci-
dent is under investigation and more information will be forth-
coming.
For more information as it become available please contact:
[press contact team]

For more information about ___ [company name] please visit:
_______ [web address].

Sample holding statement B
(when you have more information)

At __________ [time/day], there was a/we were informed
of____________ [the crisis] at __________[facility/location]. No
one/________ [number of persons] has/have been reported to
be injured. We have taken a number of actions:
_______________________________________________________

The cause of the _____________ [crisis] is under investigation
and we expect to have more information later. For more infor-
mation, please contact: ________ [name/department]. For more
information about _____________ [company name], please visit
_______ [web address].