Crisis PR 101

With the environmental disaster in the Gulf... and the crisis PR being deployed by BP... it should remind everyone to be prepared for a crisis themselves. Here are some tips:

First of all, every company should have a crisis plan in place before a crisis actually occurs. Without a plan and when a crisis happens, mistakes in handling the PR function often occurs. The key is to be prepared with an action plan, a hot tip sheet to answer in key talking points, have an executive on hand who has been media trained and a good assessment of what has occurred.

In a crisis, PR practitioners need to talk to give people information. If they do not talk, someone else will do it for them. Their competitors, dissatisfied customers, industry experts and former employees will all have something to say about the situation. But only the practitioners have the company's best interest at heart.

Be honest! Crisis management is also about regaining trust. PR practitioners cannot lie their way out of a crisis – it will always backfire. Being dishonest during an emergency response campaign is a sure way to navigate the company into troubled waters. If investors, customers or business partners find out that the company is trying to finagle them, credibility is gone. A crisis is the time to step up and show competency and commitment to honesty. The victims of a crisis deserve to know the truth.

In any crisis situation, you should be prepared to answer the "Big Three" crisis media questions. These questions are asked with surprising consistency in any emergency situation, regardless of the nature of the crisis. Answers to these questions set the tone for general media coverage.

Q: What happened?
A: Be honest and provide as many facts as possible. Send out updates as further information becomes available. The goal when answering question one is to appear competent and transparent. Show stakeholders that you know what you are talking about, have gathered all relevant information and are forwarding all available facts. Do not hide anything!

Q: Why did it happen?
A: Give the reasons as to why the situation occurred. When responding to an accident, you might not be able to answer this question right away. Investigations often take months and you might find yourself in a position where you will have to deal with rumors and accusations. Do not speculate; it will not help the victims of your crisis.

Q: What are you going to do about it?
A: As you might have guessed, this is your chance to shine. This question gives the company the opportunity to show that it is professional, responsible and prepared. Tell stakeholders what actions will be taken to help them during this difficult situation. Make sure to get the answer to this question right because you might only have one try.