The Crisis Communication Plan

After reviewing various communication plans projected in the various literature, it was identified that the most effective crisis communication plans have certain critical components in common.

Although communications will vary in specific from one organization to the other and from one crisis to the other, the following details should be considered when creating a communications plan:
1. Introduction – The head of the company usually writes this to stress the necessity and importance of the plan and the dire results possible when a plan is not followed. It may also include ground rules that are applicable despite the nature of the crisis.
2. Acknowledgements – An affidavit signed by all crisis personnel as well as key executives indicating that they have read the plan and are prepared to put it in effect.
3. Purpose and Objectives – Details the organization’s policies toward is publics for e.g. ‘To be seen in the media as a company that cares about its customers and employees’ or ‘to make certain that all communications are accurate’.
4. List of Key Publics – A list of all publics internal and external with which the organization must communicate during the crisis. This list will vary but may include: board members, shareholders, financial partners, investors, customers, competitors, key management etc.
5. Notifying Publics – A system devised for contacting each public.
6. Indentifying the Crisis Communications Team – Selecting the roles of the team members if the crisis communications team and outlining specific responsibilities.
7. Crisis Directory - Contact information for all members of the crisis team, key managers, and key publics or organizations.
8. Identifying the Media Spokesperson - Spokesperson or spokespersons should be selected carefully. To the public, this person is the company. Articulate and pre-trained.
9. List of Emergency Personnel and Local Officials – List of contact information for police, fire officials, hospitals, health department, utilities, paramedics etc.
10. List of Key Media – List of media contacts, newspapers, television, reporter/journalists’ contact numbers.
11. Spokespersons for related organizations – Whenever a crisis occurs there may be a spokesperson outside of the company that may be contacted. It will be useful to create a list of who these people might be and their contact information so that they may be reached at any time.
12. Crisis Communications Control Center – The location of the crisis communications control center must be determined in case regular office space is unavailable due to disaster or emergency.
13. Pre-gathered information – Prepare and gather various documents that may possibly be needed during a crisis like a media kit or company brochures, skeletal news releases can be prepared in advance by leaving blank spaces for the data to be later filled in.
14. Key Messages - The main points that must be addressed in the messages to the key publics and guidelines for constructing them have been discussed earlier.
15. Web Site – Placing news on the company’s website and pre-appointing webmasters to keep updated information on the site.
16. Trick Questions – Predicting and identifying types of trick questions that may be asked by media personnel
17. List of Prodromes – Prodromes are warning signs that crisis may occur and these should be listed in the plan. Heeding prodromes can often prevent a crisis and should therefore be regularly updated.
18. List of Internet Websites - List the website links that may provide useful information during a crisis.
19. Evaluation Form – A crucial step in assessing what did and did not work. It helps to plan for, prevent and cope with future crises by pointed out what needs to be revised in the communications plan.