How To Create a Crisis Communication Plan

By Jennifer Miller and Gil Rudawsky

Creating a crisis communication plan involves developing strategies to effectively manage and communicate during potential crises. This proactive approach helps organizations mitigate reputation management crises, maintain stakeholder trust, and ensure a coordinated response during challenging situations.

Here’s a breakdown of how to create a crisis communication plan:

Identify Potential Risks and Scenarios:

• Risk Assessment: Conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify potential crisis scenarios relevant to the organization or company. This could include natural disasters, product recalls, data breaches, active shooters or reputational threats.
• Scenario Development: Develop detailed scenarios for each risk, outlining potential impacts, timelines, messaging and communication needs.

Develop Communication Strategies:

• Targeted Messaging: Tailor communication messages for different stakeholder groups (employees, customers, media, etc.).
• Communication Channels: Identify and utilize various communication channels (social media, email, press releases, etc.) to reach stakeholders effectively.
• Key Messages: Develop clear, concise, and consistent key messages for each scenario.

Implement and Practice:

• Simulation Exercises: Conduct regular crisis simulation exercises to test the effectiveness of the plan and communication strategies.
• Feedback and Improvement: Gather feedback from simulation exercises and adjust the plan accordingly.

Ongoing Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Online and Media Monitoring: Monitor public sentiment online, on social media and media coverage during a crisis.
• Plan Review: Regularly review and update the crisis communication plan to ensure it remains relevant and effective.

Key Considerations:

• Speed and Accuracy: A timely and accurate response is crucial in crisis communication. Be quick and accurate.
• Transparency and Honesty: Transparency builds trust. Be upfront about the situation, share updates, and acknowledge mistakes. Fix it, if you can.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with key stakeholders throughout the crisis, providing regular updates and addressing their concerns.

Do you have a crisis communication plan? Contact Rockford Gray to have us review and update it.

About the authors: Jennifer Miller is a seasoned media trainer and public speaking coach with over 15 years of journalism experience, including seven at CBS News. Known for her disarming style and tough questions, she reported on major events like the Olympics, 9/11, and Hurricane Katrina. Her firsthand understanding of how reporters think makes her an exceptional crisis management counselor. At Rockford Gray, she coaches clients on media, presentation, and crisis response. Jennifer holds a master’s in Organizational Leadership from the University of Denver and a journalism degree from the University of Minnesota. She is certified in crisis communication and DEI in the Workplace and is a sought-after speaker.

Gil Rudawsky specializes in issues and reputation management, and crisis communication. He began his career as a reporter in Aspen, and journalism took him across the country and then back to his native hometown of Denver, where he worked for the Rocky Mountain News. His journalistic skills – source development, research, credibility, storytelling, and curiosity – remain the foundation of his work with clients. He has experience working on a range of issues across sectors, including federal investigations, corporate and workplace issues, DEI and public advocacy campaigns. He provides expert-level strategic counsel, including on-the-ground support. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California, with a degree in philosophy.