Do you have a Crisis Communication’s team set in place on behalf of your business? Having a Crisis Communications team is essential to ensure a resilient organization. When done correctly, a crisis plan works to reduce reputation damage and litigation risk.
Your organization needs to be able to collaborate efficiently to set consistent messaging throughout the entirety of the crisis, appear as a stable and united front to the public, and prevent the issue from recurring.
This recommended team of 5 will work together to protect your brand, business, or company’s reputation in the wake of a crisis.
Let’s take a look at who they are:
#1. Designated Spokesperson:
You will need an individual who will take on the spokesperson role; this person will be the face of the company throughout this crisis. Their role is to effectively communicate the chosen messaging to the public and continuously provide both the public and the media with updates on what the company is doing to combat the crisis. This role is commonly delegated to someone who holds an executive position within the company.
#2. Legal Team:
You will also need a legal team; their role in a crisis is to assess the legality of the situation and protect the company from litigation risk. The team needs to be able to identify potential or current legal issues that may arrive and advise the spokesperson, and communication teams on the type of documentation and legal messaging that is distributed to both internal and external audiences.
#3. Public Relations Team:
The Public Relations team is responsible for preparing and managing the company’s messaging and mitigating the damage to a company’s reputation. You should ensure that this team is made up of individuals who are well-versed in media training and are able to efficiently communicate to the media and the public. The team will publish and delegate all media relations to ensure the reputation of the company is upheld and their intended messaging is properly communicated.
#4. Marketing Team:
The Marketing team’s plan during a crisis is to have consistent messaging across all media channels and to remain transparent. How the company manages its marketing throughout a crisis can make or break the public’s reaction. Customer inquiry tends to increase during a crisis, the marketing team needs to be prepared to respond to and prevent further reputation damage by being consistent and transparent with their customers.
#5 Human Resources Team:
Lastly, you will want a Human Resources team that focuses on the internal audience of the company. They will work alongside the public relations team when communicating to the company’s employers to ensure that employees are aware of how this will affect the company internally. Depending on the extent of the crisis, if necessary, it is the human resources team that is to provide counseling services and additional aid to employees if need be.
At Baker Public Relations, we have seen firsthand the importance of having a crisis communication team set in place. The resilience of this plan can determine the lasting impact on your brand, business, or company.
If you feel your organization needs a reputable, result’s driven public relation’s team that specializes in crisis communications, contact our office today to build a stronger, more resilient future.