Typically labeled “crisis communications,” the way and what you tell your team, your clients, and other audiences after disaster strikes is a critical element of business resiliency. Whether a flood wipes out your business or a cyber attack exposes sensitive data, your organization must have a crisis communication plan for sharing the right information with your constituents in a cadence that balances transparency with accuracy and thoughtfulness. Effective communication is crucial when your team is handling business disruptions and you need to protect your business reputation.
The first step for launching effective crisis communications seems obvious but is often overlooked in the rush to “get something out.” Be certain your communications lead is in the room for all discussions. Communication leads must have the level of detail necessary to craft a succinct, factual statement that includes the impact of any disruption and the next steps. Be certain your business continuity plan includes clear direction for identifying the communications lead and/or spokesperson if they are not the same person. In some situations, your communications lead may remain behind the scenes but develop the talking points and support a figurehead such as the CEO. In other organizations, your communications lead has a seat at the leadership table as well as on the incident response team and will fulfill both roles.
Download our ebook to learn more crisis communications tips to include in your organization’s disaster response and recovery strategy.
When it comes to effective crisis communications, there are a few basic rules: Be transparent, genuine, accurate, and clear.
One big challenge when managing business disruption communications comes with the need for multiple messages for different constituencies. Most organizations will need to address employees, perhaps volunteers, leadership, and/or a board of directors. Stakeholder communication during a crisis is equally important as media relations during a crisis. Don’t overlook external audiences such as customers, business partners, and the general public. While the facts remain the same across these communications, the cadence, detail, and tone may be markedly different. Crisis communication best practices to remember:
While many elements of crisis communications are frustrating and overwhelming, one is particularly aggravating when you are trying to handle business disruptions. It is also the reason that good crisis communications plans include taking action sooner rather than later when something goes sideways. Perception is reality when it comes to a crisis. Delays or gaps in communication can lead to gossip and fabricated truths, resulting in time spent reacting versus informing. Bottom line: Perception can turn a small problem into a huge issue that damages your organization’s reputation.
To avoid a situation where emotion and myth are driving the news cycle, be sure your leadership team, communications manager and incident response command bring a heightened awareness to situations that hold the potential to go badly. When a situation that may be less than a disaster but still has the potential to be viewed negatively, take the time to identify the points where misperception could turn a minor glitch into a major PR disaster. Remember to start stemming gossip with quick internal updates and a reminder that team members should direct any questions or inquiries – from customers, business partners, and media – to the communications lead, and discussing the incident with family and friends is strictly prohibited.
Once the initial round of communications is complete, and the incident has moved into a less urgent status, be sure to monitor media coverage and any designated avenues for feedback or questions, such as social media or public forums. Watch for early signs of discontent over communications, missing details, or those pesky misperceptions and address them immediately. As the situation evolves, and you see commentary and feedback, adjust your messaging accordingly to be as effective as possible. Remember that post-disruption communication updates may stretch for days, even weeks after an incident.
Once the incident has been resolved, invest the time to review the crisis communication process and analyze what worked well and what didn’t. By identifying and documenting opportunities to improve future crisis communication plans, you will be better prepared to follow crisis communication best practices the next time a situation takes a negative turn.
Exigent has been through many of the same scenarios we discuss in our blogs on business continuity – either as a small business ourselves or with our clients. We understand the importance of a technology roadmap that includes consideration for disruptions, backup and disaster recovery and layers of cybersecurity. If you have questions, we have answers. Let’s talk today about taking the first step together!
As director of marketing for Exigent Technologies, Gennifer Biggs guides marketing, communications and lead generation. In her roles as a member and leader of creative, high-performing marketing teams and a consultant, she has gained deep experience with all aspects of Marcomm. Before joining the leadership team at Exigent, she crafted partner storylines for global vendors Citrix, Ingram Micro, and Autotask and helped launch innovative cybersecurity and manufacturing tech startups. She’s passionate about mentoring women in technology, and posts regularly about technology, leadership, and the power of communications on LinkedIn.