Turn on the news on any given day, and chances are there’s a crisis brewing somewhere in the world. The train wreck in East Palestine, Ohio. Bank failures. Tech workers being laid off in droves. A crypto CEO arrested.
What do all of these crises have in common? Well, chances are there’s a comms team working feverishly behind the scenes to stay ahead of the emerging story. In analyzing some recent news stories, we’ve found it’s often fairly obvious who came prepared and who was caught flat-footed when disaster struck.
How can you ensure your team is ready if it comes time to face your own company crisis?
One of the services we offer our clients is crisis planning, mapping out scenarios a client might face and preparing in advance for the most critical or most likely occurrences. Because when the worst happens, there’s no time to waste and no room for errors.
Some things to consider in this year’s plan:
- What are some typical crises that your industry faces?
- What are the worst-case scenarios that keep you up at night?
- Do you have a continuation plan in the event of the death or sudden departure of high-level executives?
- Do you have a telephone tree for your crisis team so they are reachable at any hour of the day or night?
- Does your crisis team have planning materials that anticipate the unforeseen?
- And finally: Have you prepared responses to potential crises in advance? (Hint: If you haven’t, you need to start today. In today’s 24-hour news churn, you can’t afford to wait for the news to hit before you start thinking about your response.)
If you’re unsure where to start, give us a call. We can help you develop your plans and train your teams so you’re ready to put your best foot forward no matter what comes your way in 2023.
by Melissa Mathews