| We all understand the importance of perception. The | | | | 1. Identify all the disasters that conceivably could |
| linebetween perception and reality is often quite thin. | | | | confrontyour company. Include the routine crises your |
| Actionstaken by a communicator during the first | | | | particularbusiness might face (eg. a bus company |
| moments of acrisis can affect perceptions of an | | | | might anticipate ahighway accident) and the |
| individual or companywell after the crisis is resolved. | | | | unexpected (eg. untimely death ofcompany president). |
| All your marketing achievements -- all the effort, | | | | Practice formulating responses tothese potential crises. |
| thefinancial expenditure, and the energy spent in | | | | 2. Identify the person who should be your |
| cultivating ahigh profile -- can be dashed by one | | | | company'sspokesperson. This should be someone high |
| ill-handedcommunications disaster. | | | | enough inthe corporate structure to be believable, and |
| Enlightened companies, from neighborhood | | | | comfortable ina public role. Be prepared to relieve this |
| restaurantsand retailers to multinational merchants and | | | | individual of allother duties for the duration of a major |
| manufacturers,have a risk management plan for | | | | crisis in order toconcentrate on communicating |
| dealing with a disaster. | | | | accurately and sincerely. |
| They buy insurance in event of fire, make contingency | | | | Only one person should have the role of |
| plansfor failed equipment, train management personnel | | | | spokesperson butone of two alternates should be |
| to carryon during labor strikes, code products to track | | | | identified if the principalspokesperson is ill, on vacation |
| sales, andexpedite a recall if necessary. | | | | or unavailable for someother reason. |
| But as much thought as they've given to | | | | 3. In highly public crises, the media would appear to be |
| overcomingoperations disasters, many of those | | | | themost important audience. But it is necessary to |
| companies have givenlittle thought to how to | | | | calculate allthe different "real" audiences you might |
| communicate during the emergency;how to let their | | | | need to reach and tofigure out, in advance, how you |
| consumers know "the food you ate here lastnight was | | | | would reach them. A keycomponent of your crisis plan |
| not tainted," assure their employees that | | | | is to analyze each relevantconstituency you serve and |
| "everything's under control at the XYZ plant,", tell | | | | to organize in advance efficientvehicles to reach these |
| theirneighbors that "secure safety measures are in | | | | audiences. |
| place," | | | | 4. Develop your crisis communications plan with clear, |
| Simple, clear-headed, advance preparation of a | | | | easyto access instructions. |
| crisiscommunications plan is required in today's disaster | | | | 5. Assemble material you may find to be relevant in a |
| pronebusiness climate. | | | | crisis,either as background for reporters or as quick |
| Although the specifics of each crisis communications | | | | reference foryour spokesperson. |
| plandepend on many factors (the size of the | | | | 6. Make duplicates of everything and store them in a |
| company, its distinctcorporate culture, the product or | | | | safe,off-site place. |
| service it delivers), thereare some essential rules that | | | | 7. No matter how comprehensive, a crisis |
| all contain. | | | | communicationsplan is a living document and needs to |
| The following seven steps, adapted from Joan | | | | be revisitedregularly. |
| McGrath and | | | | Finally, on an on-going basis, cultivate relationships that |
| Myrna Pedersen, principals of Pedersen/McGrath | | | | willaid you in a crisis. Get to know members of the |
| Associates, Ltd., Chicago, should guide you in preparing | | | | mediaone-on-one. Meet in person or by phone with |
| abasic plan so that you can communicate | | | | key communityofficials, vendors, and customers to |
| efficiently,effectively, and forthrightly at the moment an | | | | develop a rapport andlet them know yours in a caring |
| emergency hitsyour organization. You'll get your | | | | company. This personalinteraction can buy you a lot of |
| company through theincident with its image intact or | | | | support in the eye of thestorm. |
| even enhanced. | | | | |