What is a crisis communications plan?

Brands and their leaders see their reputations made or destroyed based on how they manage crises. Whether facing cyber incidents and product recalls or geopolitics and activism, teams need the tools and skills that enable them to tackle issues efficiently when they emerge. A crisis communications plan is an essential resource for organisations that want to be confident in their ability to successfully navigate a crisis and reassure their stakeholders. 

The Role of a Crisis Communications Plan 

A crisis communications plan, or a protocol, is a defined process teams follow to manage any incident that threatens an organisation’s reputation. It’s a prescriptive document that breaks down the precise steps that must be followed to decide how to communicate during an incident. It sets out how to decide whether to communicate, the information needed to make decisions, the principles that inform the approach to communications, and who needs to be involved in the process.  

A strong crisis communications plan:  

• Enables swift and efficient decision-making 
• Clearly sets out expectations for the communications team 
• Establishes guardrails for approvals and messaging 
• Is informed by a thorough understanding of audiences and the channels they use 
• Complements operational, regulatory and legal processes that will be running parallel to communications during an incident 

Crisis communications plan are not issue-specific. They set out processes that should be followed for any situation that threatens reputation. 

Key Components of a Crisis Communications Plan 

An effective plan is bespoke to the organisation and colleagues who will be using it, but there are some elements that most strong plans share:  

• Clear outlines of roles and responsibilities: Agreeing who will be in charge for what, who their deputies are, and how those roles are assigned in a fast-moving situation. 
• Processes and criteria for decision-making: Pre-defined rules for how decisions are made about the severity of an issue, the need to communicate, and how communications are approved. 
• Key messages: Any core points or values that must be woven into any communication, regardless of the topic. 
• Audience and stakeholder mapping: A snapshot of audiences to consider, the channels they use, and what their priorities will be during an incident. 
• Channels: Channels at the team’s disposal, access details, and guidance for use. 

For some businesses, this information can be captured in two-pages whereas others require more detailed documentation that spans markets, business units and layers of leadership. 

Many organisations develop crisis communications scenario plans or playbooks in parallel to consider the nuances of various scenarios. These are developed around specific types of issues and usually explore how the situation is likely to develop and evolve, which stakeholders will be involved and what core messages and information will be needed for that particular incident.  

Making Sure the Plan Works for Your Team

After an organisation has invested resources into developing a crisis communications plan, it’s imperative that it is ready to be used at short notice. There are a few common traps teams can fall into after developing the plan:  

• Not updating the plans as the business evolves: Organisations change and teams evolve. Crisis communications plans need regular maintenance and revision, especially following an incident or significant team changes. 
• Not putting the plan through its paces: A crisis communications plan is only useful if it simplifies processes and is easily understood. Training, coaching and testing through simulation exercises is essential to make sure the team understands how it should be deployed and can identify any issues that consideration.  

Taking the time and effort to agree how businesses and their leaders will approach communicating during a crisis before it happens can make the difference between an effective response and communications chaos. When these are in place and the team is confident using them, more attention can be spent on looking after the people involved in the incident and resolving it swiftly, building trust among audiences and laying the foundation for reputation recovery.