If the unthinkable happened to your business, would your organization be prepared? Would you know what to do? Would you know what to say?
The fact is that a crisis could hit your business at any time. A fire that destroys your workplace. The death of a key staff member. A major product safety issue. A boycott of your company. And you can add more scenarios from your own list of worst nightmares. Any of these events can cause an immediate and prolonged impact on your organization, its reputation and even its license to operate.
The good news is that your organization can do a lot in advance that will help it survive a crisis situation, sometimes relatively unscathed. You’ve probably already taken some of the necessary steps, such as securing an insurance plan for your organization and backing up your computer systems on a regular basis. But do you have a plan in place to help you weather the media firestorm that will occur when news of the crisis breaks? Do you have processes and tools in place to help you communicating quickly and effectively with your key stakeholders?
No doubt, crises are very stressful. They can be emotional, sometimes devastating events. And they often unfold at lightning speed. In this 24/7 world of instant news and instant messaging, seconds and minutes count. Unless you are an expert in crisis communications, you will find it difficult to think strategically when your heart is racing (or breaking) and the media is pounding on your door. It is far better to think through the strategy in advance.
The Fairmount Group provides multiple levels of service and expertise before, during and after a crisis:
- Crisis communications planning
- Crisis media training
- Hands-on support
Crisis Communication Planning
The purpose of a Crisis Communications plan is to provide guidance, procedures and tools needed to successfully and effectively communicate in a crisis situation. Designed for the communications or corporate affairs team, it provides direction on communications strategies, as well as practical, ready-to-use communications tools. It is specifically designed to:
- Protect – even enhance – your organization’s reputation, credibility and image
- Communicate your position quickly, accurately and consistently to internal and external stakeholders
- Establish your company as a primary and reliable source of credible information about the incident
- Demonstrate concern for the people who are impacted
- Maintain positive relationships with key internal and external stakeholders
- Minimize rumors, speculation and potential negative attention on your company
Crisis Media Training
The purpose of Crisis Media Training is to prepare potential spokespersons to manage the media firestorm that is typically sparked by a crisis. In this training, participants receive:
- Knowledge of how the media works
- A plan for preparing to interact with the media prior to the interview
- Techniques for taking control during the interview
- Tips for evaluating effectiveness of communications after the interview
- Experience in participating in on-camera interviews
Hands-on Support During a Crisis
The Fairmount Group is comprised of a network of seasoned communications professionals with deep expertise in crisis management and crisis communications. Should you need additional resource to deal with a crisis situation, we are available to work in tandem with your staff to facilitate the crisis management process and provide communications services.
