So You Think You Can Crisis: A Beginners Guide to Crisis Communication
Crisis Communication, a phrase that can make any communications professional stop in their tracks. However, Holly Baird is not like any other communications professional. She’s a pro when it comes to crisis management, a real-life Oliva Pope.
While attending the 2019 Public Relations Student Society of America International Conference, I had the honor to sit-in on a discussion held by Baird on crisis communications, a topic that has always interested me. I clutched my pen and notebook as I anticipated every word she had to say. But as the discussion went on, I found myself so engaged that my paper nearly remained empty. However, I took away more from this discussion than any other held during the conference.
The main take away from this discussion is that a crisis can happen at any moment and everyone should be prepared. That’s where this blog comes in. Think of it as a beginner’s guide to crisis communication, three things everyone should know.
Legal. Learn it. Love it.
When it comes to any crisis, there will always be some legal action that follows suit. As public relations professionals, we must learn to work together with the law to put out a statement, press release, ect. that informs the public without harming the client. With that being said, it would not hurt for you to brush up on those law books so you have a general understanding of how lawyers think. Lawyers’ main goal is to protect their clients, and by doing so, they create a ‘code’ language to use when creating a statement. As a friend of the media, it is our job to decode lawyer lingo and create a media-friendly version, that still legally protects your client.
Secrets are your Worst Nightmare
If there is one rule in crisis communications it is to know everything about your client because that one secret that you don’t know will be the one to come back and bite you. By knowing all your client’s secrets, you know what you’re dealing with. You can prepare for certain situations if that crisis were to get out and can create campaigns centered around that secret, rather then being blindsided. It will all in all, in the end, maintain your client’s reputation and lessen the blow if anything were to come about.
We are the Carriers of the Truth
As communicators, the public looks to you for the truth. They look to you to answer the hard questions and evidently, tell them what they want to hear. However, what they want to hear is not always the truth and can be hard to communicate. We must understand that even though difficult, the truth is always the right answer and in the long run, can do more good than harm. You become the liaison between your client and the outside world, the last thing you want for your client getting trapped in crisis while in the middle of another.
With these three beginner steps to crisis communication, you will find yourself never cracking under the pressure that is crisis communication. Step aside Oliva Pope, you’ve got some competition.
About Melissa:
Melissa Albano is a senior at Grand Valley State University studying advertising and public relations with a minor Mandarin. This is her fourth semester as part of the GrandPR family and she is more than excited to be serving as the Vice President of Operations. Along with being involved with GrandPR, Melissa participates in GVSU's PRSSA as well as being New Member Educator in her sorority, Gamma Phi Beta. Whenever Melissa catches a quiet moment you can find her hanging with friends, doing some yoga, or exploring more of the beautiful Great Lake State. A fun fact about Melissa is that she lived in Shanghai, China for three years when she was younger. She can't wait to see what great experiences this position will lead to.