Are you prepared for a crisis?

Today, I received a phone call at 7 a.m. from a marketing director asking for on the spot crisis communications counsel. He got it. And last week, I received a referral call from a comms director of a start-up aerospace company asking if they need a crisis communications plan. The answer was yes (and immediately). A crisis – small or big – can happen at any time. Are you ready?

Here are my top five reasons why you should have a holistic crisis comms plan:

1️⃣Build a plan without emotion, stress or deadlines: operating amidst chaos and uncertainty is hard enough. Having a plan to work from enables you to work efficiently and effectively.

2️⃣Make fast and smart decisions/recommendations: the best crisis communications plans have tiers and examples, enabling you to make decisions with confidence.

3️⃣Processes and accountability: a pre-built, pre-approved plan ensures that processes, technologies and accountabilities are in place in advance. Everyone knows what their job is and when to execute (this includes vendors).

4️⃣Speed: working from a holistic plan enables you to communicate with your stakeholders as quickly as possible with accurate information.

5️⃣Reduce mistakes: reviewing the plan at least once each year positions you and your company for successful crisis management and mitigation.

Don’t have a plan? Not sure where to start? We’re your team: Kirkpatrick Group#sayitlikeyoumeanit#crisiscomms#crisiscommunications

By: Katie Regan