09/01/2021

Crisis Communications: Preparing Your Spokespeople for a Crisis

Plan, plan and plan some more

From internal challenges like a product defect necessitating a recall to external events like natural disasters, every organization is vulnerable to crises. While it’s easy to believe that it won’t happen to your company, the question is not if a crisis will happen, but when. A poorly-handled PR crisis can have long-lasting implications that may include strained customer relationships, legal or regulatory action, declining stock prices and damaged brand reputation. 

While it’s nearly impossible to prevent crises from occurring, there are steps you can take to mitigate the fallout. A good company spokesperson is an essential part of any crisis communications strategy. They give your organization both a face and a voice, which helps build trust with your audience on your behalf. However, problems can arise if your spokesperson is unprepared, especially in the midst of a crisis. Here’s how to ensure your company and its spokespeople are prepared.

1. Plan for a Crisis

A crisis will be a surprise. Your response, can’t be. Don’t wait until a crisis hits to put a crisis communications plan together. If you’re scrambling to develop a response as the situation unfolds, you’re already too late. While you can’t know what’s going to happen or when, you should have a plan that includes guidance for your spokespeople when crises arise.

Please select this link to read the complete blog post from ICR.