Crisis communication is an imperative skill in the modern business world — a carefully prepared blueprint that a company follows to address a crisis and maintain its reputation. When developing a crisis communication plan, several components need to be meticulously sketched out.

How to Develop a Crisis Management Plan

First, establish a crisis communication team with clearly defined roles. This team should be composed of members from various departments with access to critical information, including legal, PR, HR, and management. The team should be trained in crisis management and include a designated spokesperson who excels under pressure and has the skills to communicate effectively with all stakeholders.

Second, the plan must outline potential risks your business could face. Be wide-ranging in your assessment of possible crises, from data breaches and natural disasters to executive misconduct and product recalls. For each scenario, the plan should provide guidelines on the immediate steps to take, just as Johnson & Johnson did during the Tylenol crisis by recalling products swiftly and being transparent in their communication.

Third, clear communication channels must be identified. It’s important to understand in advance which platforms — social media, press releases, direct emails — will be used to disseminate messages to employees, customers, media, and other stakeholders. This ensures speed and consistency of message, which is crucial during a crisis.

In addition to the channels of communication, a pre-approved messaging framework should be put in place to ensure key messages are communicated effectively during a crisis. This framework should include templates for press releases, social media posts, internal announcements, and Q&A documents.

Also, companies need to establish a system for updating and informing stakeholders throughout the duration of the crisis. During a crisis, communication should be accurate, transparent, and timely — all of which can help maintain trust and authority.

A training program is vital. The crisis communication team should engage in regular practice drills that simulate various crisis scenarios. This preparation will ensure greater confidence and capability when handling a real-life situation.

Real-time Monitoring for Potential Crises

Real-time monitoring is the process of continuously scanning the media, online conversations, and other relevant data sources to identify any signs of emerging crises before they spiral out of control. Leveraging the latest digital tools and social media platforms allows companies to maintain a constant vigil.

For example, banks and financial institutions monitor for unauthorized disclosures of sensitive information, manufacturers watch for negative product reviews that could indicate a quality issue, and health organizations keep an eye on reports of adverse reactions to medications or treatments.

Setting up alerts and keywords related to your industry, company name, and products is a good place to start. By using tools like Google Alerts, social listening platforms like Hootsuite or Mention, or specialized crisis detection software, companies can gather early intel on potential issues.

Moreover, there’s a key aspect of human judgment in monitoring. While algorithms can catch mentions and changes in mention volume, it’s up to the crisis team to evaluate the tone, the context, and the potential impact of what’s being addressed online.

Effective Communication During a Crisis

When a crisis hits, effective communication becomes the lifeline of a company. The key is to act swiftly but not rashly — responding as fast as possible while relaying accurate information. The initial response should include ownership of the situation where applicable, providing facts available at hand, and demonstrating empathy towards those affected, as illustrated by Jill Schiefelbein’s “Dynamic Communication” book.

Then, it’s about continuously engaging with the audience. United Airlines’ forced passenger removal incident, for example, demonstrated the detriment of initial poor communication and the subsequent need for tone correction and empathetic engagement.

Multiple channels need to be utilized, from traditional media to online platforms, to ensure the message reaches all concerned parties. The communication style should be consistent but tailored to fit the channel — for example, a press release for media, a personalized email to affected customers, and a succinct statement on social media.

A crisis communication strategy must be adaptable. As the crisis evolves, the message may need to change. It’s also important to maintain a two-way communication street — listening to stakeholder concerns and responding directly.

Post-crisis Evaluation and Recovery

After a crisis is contained and begins to fade, a crucial phase begins: evaluation and recovery. The purpose of this post-crisis phase is not only to gauge what happened but also to capture learnings to improve future responses.

A comprehensive post-crisis report should be developed to evaluate the effectiveness of the crisis response. Questions like “How did the crisis originate?”, “How effective was our monitoring system in flagging it early?”, and “Was our response timely and did it resonate well with our stakeholders?” need to be addressed.

Learning from your experiences, positive or negative, is essential. The report should identify any gaps in the response and propose changes to the communication plan. This may involve reassessing risk areas, adjusting monitoring tools, revamping the training program, or modifying communication templates.

Recovery also involves rebuilding trust and reputation. In the event of a crisis like Equifax’s data breach, after implementing the necessary safety measures, it’s important to communicate what’s been done to prevent future occurrences. Outreach efforts, such as community involvement or customer engagement programs, may play an important role in restoring confidence.

It’s also an opportune moment to reassess your brand’s values and align your business practices with those ideals. Demonstrating a long-term commitment to any changes made in response to the crisis will aid in restoring and enhancing your company’s stature in the public eye.

Maintaining an ongoing dialogue with key stakeholders and being open to feedback will ensure the loop is closed — not just on the crisis but also on the entire communication plan’s performance.