Last year served as a reminder that organizations must be prepared for crisis especially a social media crisis. Progressive Insurance Company robo-tweeting regarding a customer’s tragic death. Greenpeaces’s ArcticReady.com campaign against Shell Oil. The hashtag hijack of Newsweeks‘s #muslimrage hashtag. A missent tweet from Kitchen Aid’s Twitter account during the US election. These crises ranged from serious to embarrassing to the organizations involved. Is your organization prepared for a communications crisis in 2013?
Let me ask you the following questions:
Do you have a crisis communications plan in place?
Does the plan include social media?
When was the last time the plan was reviewed?
And updated?
Has staff been trained/drilled on the crisis communications plan?
If you’ve answered “No” or “I don’t know” to any of the following questions, then we need to talk.
A crisis will happen to an organization at some point. The question is when. Now add in social media to the possibilities and the likelihood goes up. Social media is unpredictable. Social media is explosive. Social media often outpaces time itself. Social media can be risky for organizations. A crisis will happen. And people will now take to social media to express themselves. That is a given on both counts.
While you can’t control the crisis, you manage it. It can be done with well thought-out crisis planning.
Mind The Gap Public Relations can help you assess your existing crisis communications plan and/or build you a custom crisis communications plan from the ground up as well as provide you with on-going support.
Crisis Communications Plan Audit
Your crisis communications plan is reviewed in detail and specific recommendations made to your current crisis communications plan. This will take typically six to 10 hours depending on the plan. Cost on average $1000-$1500.
Crisis Communications Plan Build
This is a custom build for your organization. It will include meetings with staff, SWOT analysis, and the development of:
– The crisis response team
– Monitoring program creation
– Anticipated scenarios
– Holding statements
Training of staff on the crisis communications plan (media training is part of it for the spokespersons) is included.
Development of a custom plan can vary, but on average it is 20-24 hours total development time. This excludes travel to train staff on plan. Custom build pricing start at $3000.
Crisis Communications Staff Training
Training of your staff on an existing crisis communications plan. This will include media training for your spokespersons and a drill situation.
This will take typically six to 12 hours including the training for staff. Cost on average $1000-$2500. This excludes travel expenses.
Crisis Communications Management
When outside assistance in managing the crisis situation is needed. Rates of $250/hour apply with a four-hour minimum. This excludes any expenses such as travel.
To learn more about all of our services, visit our Services Page.
Remember it often is not the crisis you will be remembered for, but how you handled it. Get prepared. Now.
