how to create an effective crisis communications plan before disaster strikes
DESCRIPTION
Presented at Ragan's Breakthrough Strategies for Corporate Communications in Dallas, TX, at AT&T, Nov. 12, 2014. This presentation covers the four stages of a crisis and how to help prevent, mitigate and respond to a full-blown crisis.TRANSCRIPT
How to Create An Effective Crisis Communications Plan before Disaster Strikes
Sandra Fathi President, Affect Email: [email protected] tweet: @sandrafathi web: affect.com blog: techaffect.com
Ragan Breakthrough Strategies for Corporate Communicators Conference Nov 12, 2014
#Raganstrategies
PRESENTER BIO
SANDRA FATHI
• Founder and president of Affect, a public relations and social media firm specializing in technology, healthcare and professional services o Tri-State District Chair, PRSA o Past President, PRSA-NY Chapter o Past President, PRSA Technology Section
[email protected] @sandrafathi
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
CORE CONCEPTS
4 Phases of Crisis Communications
• Readiness
• Response
• Reassurance
• Recovery
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
RECOGNIZING CRISES
Internal
• Employees
• Facilities
• Vendors/Suppliers
• Distributors/Resellers
• Product
External
• Acts of Nature
• Market
• Legal Restrictions/Law
• Customers
• Advocacy Groups
Anticipating & Understanding Threats to a Business
People, Products, Facilities, Environment
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
CRISIS SCENARIOS
1. Senior manager accused of inappropriate conduct including lewd photos with employee – Now on Instagram
2. Employee arrested for hit and run accident – Now Appearing in Google Search
3. Employee abusing drugs – Now Posted on his Facebook Profile
4. Customer credit card details leaked – Now On Twitter 5. Employee posts rant on company and exposes confidential information –
Now on YouTube 6. Company accused of making children’s toys with poisonous lead paint –
Now on a Mommy Blog
Anticipating a Crisis
1. Crisis Mapping (SWOT Analysis)
2. Policies and Procedures (Prevention)
3. Crisis Monitoring
4. Crisis Communications Plan
5. Crisis Action Plan
6. Crisis Standard Communications Template
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
READINESS
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
RESPONSE TIMES
How long before the $@!& hits the fan?
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
EXAMPLE: GENERAL MOTORS
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
EXAMPLE: GENERAL MOTORS
1. Develop materials: • Messages/FAQ • Prepared statements • Press release template • Customer letters 2. Train employees • Awareness • Anticipation • Organizational Preparation
3. Prepare channels: • Hotline • Dark site • Social Media
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
RESPONSE: CRISIS TOOLKIT
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
RESPONSE
Preparing a Response
1. Don’t delay 2. Acknowledge situation 3. Acknowledge impact and ‘victims’ 4. Commit to investigate 5. Commit to sharing information and cooperation with relevant parties 6. Share corrective action plan if available 7. Respond in the format in which the crisis was received**
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
REASSURANCE
Who to Reassure? How to Reassure?
1. Develop full response plan 2. Put plan into action: Immediate remedy 3. Communicate results of plan and impact 4. Reaffirm commitment to correction 5. Demonstrate results of program
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
RECOVERY
Preparing a Long-term Recovery Plan
1. Review need for operational, regulatory, environmental and employee changes
2. Develop long-term plan including policies and prevention tactics 3. Reassess crisis plan 4. Regain customer/public trust
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
EXAMPLE: ConEd & MTA
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
Hurricane Sandy Social Media Facts: Con Edison • 6,500 Twitter Followers to 23,000 within 2 Weeks • 25 videos posted on pre-Sandy preparation • 100,000+ views and multiple broadcast airings of videos • 2500 Press Release RTs • 140,000 Flickr restoration image views
EXAMPLE: ConEd & MTA
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
EXAMPLE: ConEd & MTA
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
Hurricane Sandy Social Media Facts: MTA • Empower street crews • Empower consumers • Update MTA.info, YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, FaceBook • Utilize Urban Digital Panels • Email/Text Alerts
MTA’s 4 Categories of Media Shared: • Before: Preparation • During: Storm Hits • Aftermath 1: Damage • Aftermath 2: Restoration
EXAMPLE: ConEd & MTA
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
EXAMPLE: ConEd & MTA
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
EXAMPLE: MICROSOFT
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
EXAMPLE: MICROSOFT
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
EXAMPLE: AMERICAN APPAREL
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
EXAMPLE: AMERICAN APPAREL
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
EXAMPLE: AMERICAN APPAREL
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
EXAMPLE: TIDE LAUNDRY PODS
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
EXAMPLE: TIDE LAUNDRY PODS
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
10 THINGS TO KNOW
1. Implement Policies to Address Potential
Vulnerabilities
2. Use Social Media as a Tool for Crisis Monitoring
3. Understand the Response-ability of Social Media
4. Establish a Framework for Response
5. Build a Social Media Crisis Toolkit
6. Know Where to Respond
7. Prepare Your Employees in Advance
8. Establish the Proper Tone
9. Kill the Automation Switch
10. Be Honest, Be Transparent
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
10 THINGS TO KNOW
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
RESOURCES
White Paper:
Crisis Communications in the
Social Media Age
Download at: Affect.com
How to Create an Effective Crisis Communications Plan Before Disaster Strikes
Sandra Fathi President, Affect Email: [email protected] tweet: @sandrafathi web: affect.com blog: techaffect.com
Slides Available: Slideshare.net/sfathi
#RaganStrategies