Members of your crisis response team should know your business thoroughly, be able to accurately assess the impact of an incident or crisis on your business, and be able to make decisions and provide direction in the event of a crisis. They should have adequate back-up to their usual duties to ensure that managing the crisis is their top priority. It is critical to establish a team leader – responding to a crisis requires quick and decisive action; it is not the time to take a vote.
Pick the right spokesperson. An effective spokesperson will convey strength, reassurance, trustworthiness, and competence. It also signals how seriously you’re taking the crisis. Choose someone too low on the corporate totem pole, and it may look like you don’t care; choose someone too high, and your crisis may appear bigger than it really is. In general, the more serious the crisis, the more senior the spokesperson should be. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and choose higher up on the authority ladder.
Want to learn more about what to do in a crisis? Contact PRxDigital if you have questions or would like to meet with us to discuss your needs at results@prxdigital.com or 408-287-1700.