Let’s see a virtual show of hands; who thinks 2020 has been one long crisis management scenario? So far, the United States has navigated through a tense international confrontation with another world power, a deadly pandemic, an economic downturn and devastating regional storms.
With crises coming from all sides, businesses and organizations are left scrambling. What can be done to minimize internal and external damage? How can we be expected to weather all these challenges that are out of our control?
If you don’t have a crisis communication plan in place, it’s not too late to look at best practices and put together a quick working plan. You can start with our crisis preparedness worksheet.
If you do have a working crisis management plan, you may find it lacking. When we imagined likely crisis scenarios for our organizations, not many of us checked a box that suggested we practice our response to a worldwide pandemic, strapped medical system, supply-chain interruptions, lack of safety equipment and local tornado response - all at once!
The most important thing to keep in mind right now is this: by meeting your audience’s expectations during this time of crisis, your organization can protect and build on the trust you’ve built with your customers. You can do that most effectively by communicating honestly, ethically and with transparency.
That’s why we’ve created and compiled this list of resources to help you manage the current disruptions and better prepare for the next challenge your organization will face.
Q Strategies resources:
Communicating in the Age of COVID-19: More Substance, Less Noise -- Published in the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce’s Business Trend, this article highlights the process to screen and then craft helpful engagement with your stakeholders.
Communicating in the Age of COVID-19: Understanding Expectations -- Also published in the Business Trend, this follow-up article discusses the importance of understanding and meeting the expectations of your stakeholders.
4 Steps for Crisis Management Planning -- This is the first blog of a three-part series that features four strategies you can begin today that will help your organization address a future crisis from a position of strength.
5 Steps to Effectively Communicate in a Crisis -- The second part deals with managing a crisis once you’re in the middle of it.
4 Ways to Gauge Your Crisis Plan’s Effectiveness and Prepare for Next Time -- The final blog of the series provides the next steps for after the crisis your organization has ridden out.
Additional resources:
PRSA -- The Public Relations Society of America has a number of crisis management resources, including webinars and blogs, for communication professionals.
PRNEWS -- The COVID-19 Daily Insights covers communication news and strategies organizations employ or deal with during this coronavirus pandemic.
Ready to take the next steps to create your customized crisis management plan? Contact us!