Don’t leave it too late to develop a crisis communications plan to support your organisation if a negative story should break in the media.

Scrambling to respond while receiving a blizzard of hostile social media commentary and news media inquiries is a recipe for disaster.

Work on it now to avoid panic later. 

You need a plan that covers:

• The principles of media crisis management

• Issues of known vulnerability

• The key executives in your organisation who would manage any crises, and their specific roles and responsibilities

• How to do a risk matrix and SWOT analysis

• Developing holding statements and responses specific to the issue

• Communications to staff about the issue

• A rapid-response media management plan

• A rapid-response social media management plan

• A review post-crisis to inform future practice