Crisis Management

A crisis is a major, unpredictable event that threatens to harm an organisation and its stakeholders. It can cause significant disruption to your business, especially if the crisis stimulates extensive media coverage resulting in public scrutiny. Crisis management involves providing the best response to a crisis.

Crisis can come in many forms. To demonstrate the far-reaching implications of a crisis upon a brand, here are some recent examples portrayed in the news media. Chances are you'll remember the news coverage these stories received and will have residual brand association.

• Maggots found in a hamburger patty
• Misrepresentation of the level of Vitamin C in a beverage
• Dangerous chemicals found in milk products, resulting in deaths and serious illness.

Successfully diffusing a crisis requires an understanding of how to handle a crisis - before it occurs. While the actual scenario may not be foreseeable, Writehand Communications can assist you in developing a proactive crisis management plan so that you have a strategy in place to manage a crisis should one occur.

Effective crisis management should:

• minimise business interruption and damage to public perception
• identify key actions required to address the issue
• reassure stakeholders through effective, timely and carefully constructed communication.

In the event of a crisis, as a specialist in public relations, media relations, staff communications and customer communications, Writehand Communications is well-positioned to assist you in minimising damage to your public profile in the event of a crisis.

My crisis management experience includes:

• preparation and implementation of business crisis management plans
• strategic advice on crisis communications, reputation management, marketing direction and advertising campaigns
• development and implementation of proactive crisis training simulations
• drafting and distribution of strategic communication to key stakeholders during a crisis
• dealing with media and customer enquiries during a crisis
• training of spokespeople in preparation for media interviews
• identification of opportunities to publically clarify key messages through the media
• development of Q & A documentation and key messages to be used in a crisis
• development of sales presentations to reinforce messages and retain business credibility
• preparation of material for employee briefing sessions
• development of advertising copy and brand rebuilding campaigns.

For further information about Writehand Communications' services, or to discuss your crisis management requirements, please contact me.