What are the key elements of a crisis communication plan and how do you develop one?

1 Identify your crisis team

The first step in developing a crisis communication plan is to identify your crisis team, which is a group of people who will be responsible for managing the crisis and communicating with the stakeholders. Your crisis team should include representatives from different functions and levels of the organization, such as senior management, public relations, legal, operations, human resources, and IT. You should also assign clear roles and responsibilities to each member of the team, such as spokesperson, coordinator, writer, monitor, or advisor. Your crisis team should be trained and prepared to handle any potential crisis scenarios and to communicate effectively and consistently.

2 Define your stakeholders and channels

The second step in developing a crisis communication plan is to define your stakeholders and channels, which are the groups of people who have an interest or influence in your organization and the methods of communication you will use to reach them. Your stakeholders may include your employees, customers, investors, partners, suppliers, media, regulators, or community. You should prioritize your stakeholders based on their level of impact and urgency and tailor your messages and tone accordingly. You should also identify the best channels to communicate with each stakeholder group, such as email, phone, social media, website, press release, or face-to-face.

4 Establish your protocols and procedures

The fourth step in developing a crisis communication plan is to establish your protocols and procedures, which are the rules and guidelines that govern how you will execute your plan. Your protocols and procedures should cover the following aspects: How will you monitor and identify a crisis? How will you activate and mobilize your crisis team? How will you coordinate and approve your communication? How will you measure and evaluate your communication? How will you update and adapt your plan? Your protocols and procedures should be documented and communicated to your crisis team and relevant stakeholders and tested regularly to ensure their effectiveness and efficiency.

5 Train and test your crisis team

The fifth step in developing a crisis communication plan is to train and test your crisis team, which is the process of educating and practicing your plan with your crisis team and relevant stakeholders. Training and testing your crisis team can help you ensure that they are familiar with their roles and responsibilities, comfortable with the tools and channels they will use, confident in delivering the key messages and strategies, and ready to handle any challenges or feedback. You can train and test your crisis team by conducting simulations, drills, exercises, or workshops that mimic realistic crisis scenarios and evaluate their performance and feedback.

6 Review and update your plan

The sixth step in developing a crisis communication plan is to review and update your plan, which is the process of assessing and improving your plan based on the results and lessons learned from your training, testing, or actual crisis situations. Reviewing and updating your plan can help you identify the strengths and weaknesses of your plan, incorporate the best practices and innovations in crisis communication, and address the changing needs and expectations of your stakeholders. You should review and update your plan regularly, especially after a major change or event in your organization or environment, and communicate the changes to your crisis team and relevant stakeholders.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?