EXPERT COMMUNICATION TRAINING
Crisis communication training
Are you prepared for the worst?
Every organisation is vulnerable to a crisis. Covid-19 is a timely reminder that companies need to be prepared for any type of critical situation. The days of controlling the situation with a few press releases and phone calls to the media have passed. We’re now in a world where Social Media drives the narrative of a crisis; where media outlets grab the information they require without even leaving their desks. The media machine ensures the crisis remains in the public psyche for days or even months to come.
I can devise a Crisis Communication training programme that gives you the opportunity to put yourself in a pressure cooker environment by enacting and testing your crisis function. This could take the form of a data breach or malpractice; anything that can put you on the back-foot and reeling from a crisis.
I can assemble a team of journalists and technicians who will put you to the test by recreating the media storm that will hit you if a crisis strikes. I can use the latest technology, including Green Screens and Twitter emulations as well as current and former journalists who have worked at the highest level.
The simulation will help better equip yourself and manage the situation with clarity, speed and authority. There are many ways to approach a crisis. To get the full benefit, we engage with all the functions of your organisation. I can do desktop crisis exercises if you want to test a specific area of your business, be it your comms function or digital media department.
As we know a useful crisis simulation reaches far beyond a department or individual, it permeates every part of the organisation affecting both internal and external stakeholders.
It never strikes at a convenient time when all your resources are available - it catches you out - unless you've prepared! We have a team of experts who are involved in numerous crisis exercises and simulations. I bring experience and know-how to the table, offering you the chance to protect your brand when it's most vulnerable.
The team will feedback and analyse your performance, providing on-the-spot advice to those in the firing line.
OUR STORY
Get to know our story...
Protect your brand and manage your reputation.
The positive reputation of a business is essential to its success. The level of public trust and confidence in a business or a brand can have a direct effect on the bottom line. Consumers regularly use the Internet for research purposes and what they find can be the difference between winning or losing business.
A company’s reputation can be damaged in a variety of ways such as negative online news, targeted blogs, consumer forums and social media profiles.
OUR SERVICES
What we can do for you?
01
Plan and Prevent
You've got to be ready for whatever comes your way; putting in practical steps and having an assemblance of a plan will give you a headstart when a crisis does occur.
Do you know who is ready to step up and who is responsible for when the media comes your way? It won't be a polite knock on the door, It'll more likely be a big media sledgehammer that smashes through the door
Most senior team members get media training once or twice a year. In a crisis, the media are like piranhas.
Give the SMT intense, aggressive media training at least once a year. It's difficult to hold your nerve when the media is at their worst.
Your initial response is extremely important - it is often referred to as the 'Golden Hour'.
This information is your holy grail. A blueprint for any crisis, any time
Benefits:
It's the calm before the crisis storm - use it to your advantage
- Media management
- Co-ordinated communication
- Digital engagement
- Team bonding/team spirit
02
Divide and Conquer
Separate the people handling the crisis from the people dealing with communications. You don't neccessarily want the CEO dragged in too many directions. Work out when and where to make that all important media appearence.
The media will often demand to speak to those who are dealing with the crisis, it's not always possible. Learn to drip-feed the media with nuggets of important information and take ownership of the crisis.
The spokesperson’s performance is supremely important.
People will often forgive you if you put in all reasonable steps to deal with the crisis. They won't if you don't deal with it, putting your head in the sand hoping it'll go away. If your spokesperson can put in a good performance, it can help smooth over the cracks.
Intelligence gathering is an essential component of both crisis prevention and crisis response.
Knowing what’s being said about you on social media, in traditional media, by your employees, customers, and other stakeholders often allows you to catch a negative “trend” that, if unchecked, turns into a crisis.
Benefits:
There is an opportunity to get on the front foot .
- Collaboration and joined-up strategy
- Resilience
- Time management
- Presentation techniques
OUR TEAM
Who we are
03
Have you thought of everything?
Preparation and delivery box ticked - what else is there to do? Your legal department or lawyer could be called upon if criminal proceedings ensue as a result of the crisis.
Your stakeholders are your backers, make sure they are aware of anything that can potentially put them at risk.
Identify the individuals and public or private groups your organisation interacts with.
Internal stakeholders include employees, volunteers, members of the board of directors, etc. External stakeholders include customers, suppliers, service providers, vendors, public and regulatory authorities, and of course, the media.
Be honest and open; transparency is an asset not a weakness
The difficulty with a crisis is getting the information you require to make an informed decision. The speed of that information is reliant on getting to those team members who can make an informed decision. Digital communications have made this task a lot easier; the downside is the media have them too.
Benefits:
Timing and communication is key to averting an escalation of a crisis
- Emotional intelligence
- Organsiational skills
- Meeting deadlines
- Being assertive
OWNER
Sukhi Hayer
I'm happy to provide a free initial consultation to understand your business requirements.
