6 Effective Strategies for Communication in a Crisis

Effective strategies for crisis communication

Whether your crisis is caused by natural, financial, personnel, organizational or technological issues, the following crisis communication strategies can lessen the blow, help you weather the storm and set you on the path to rebuilding.

1. Prepare a crisis communication plan.

Crises often come unexpectedly, but preparing a crisis communication plan and team can save valuable time when the problem strikes. Although your organization’s unique situation will determine the precise steps in your crisis communication plan, you should include the following steps. 

1. Appoint a crisis management team. You can designate a crisis management team ahead of time, although certain people may need to take on larger roles depending on which departments are most affected by the crisis. These people will work together to analyze the situation, identify possible solutions and communicate with key audiences. You should appoint one spokesperson, such as a public relations representative or the company CEO, to communicate on behalf of the organization. 
2. Assess the problem. Your team should be ready to evaluate and diagnose the crisis when it occurs. It’s essential to have a unified understanding and response. “A company or organization cannot be transparent when there is internal dissent on what caused the crisis in the first place,” said Terry Neal, president of Neal Communications Strategies.
3. Determine your goals. What are the company’s immediate and long-term goals? For example, you may need to regain the public’s trust after a data breach or prioritize reopening after a natural disaster.
4. Establish an internal communication process. Your crisis communication plan should include clear internal communication instructions. Neal stressed that it’s crucial to inform your internal teams first and work from the inside out. “It is extremely important for the most senior leaders to communicate back down through the organization,” Neal said. “The need for transparency and to be involved with setting the parameters for external communication is a must.”
5. Identify your target audience. Determine who needs to hear your message. Your target audience will depend on the issue at hand. For example, it may be all of your customers, specific customers or the public.
6. Craft your messaging. Ensure that your message is simple, concise and truthful. Be transparent about what happened, how you’re addressing it and how you’ll prevent future issues, if applicable. In certain situations, you may need to address disaster preparedness issues.
7. Decide how you’ll communicate your messaging. Depending on the situation, you may communicate your crisis messaging via social media, published content, official statements and other channels. 

2. Prioritize transparent customer communication.

Depending on the crisis, you may have to deal with very unhappy customers who have been wronged. Their experience may lead them to leave bad customer reviews that, along with negative press, can hurt your business. 

While it’s natural to feel defensive, avoid the critical mistake of being less than truthful to protect your business’s image. “Don’t lie, obfuscate or shade the truth,” Neal stressed. “If you don’t know the answer, or you’re still investigating to find the answer, say so.”

Managing customer responses and word-of-mouth communication surrounding the crisis can be tricky. You want to prioritize the customer experience while accepting blame for the business’s role in the crisis (if appropriate). To ensure the best possible outcome, don’t play the blame game. Try to foster a supportive and collaborative attitude in all customer-facing interactions, including on the phone, social media platforms, the company blog and the press. 

Depending on the situation, you can use the following strategies to appease unhappy customers: 

• Offer discounts for a future purchase of your products or services.
• Contact the customer directly to apologize.
• Change the policy that caused the issue.
• Offer a refund.
• Communicate with the customers to determine what can make it right. 

Prioritizing customers and accepting responsibility are key ways to reduce the situation’s negative impact on your business and restore your brand image.

3. Address the crisis promptly and openly.

Controlling the narrative can help your business regain trust sooner. A quick response shows that you’re tackling the situation head-on. “Get as much of the story out upfront as possible, even if it’s painful,” Neal advised. 

It’s best for all of the details, as painful as they may be, to come from you. “Don’t leave out important details for reporters to continue to chase, leading to the proverbial ‘death by a thousand cuts,'” Neal warned. Additionally, being open can help prevent inaccurate information from taking over and panicking your audience. Ensure that any public responses you post on your website or social media or provide to journalists are accurate, honest and consistent. 

4. Utilize all appropriate communication channels.

Depending on the crisis, you may need to communicate changes in your business’s operating hours, online options, available services and more. To reach your customers, utilize multiple channels, including email, text and social media. 

Consider implementing a toll-free customer service phone number to provide frequent updates and assistance. Additionally, your business’s voicemail is an effective way for customers to leave specific questions so you can respond as soon as possible. If you have a brick-and-mortar business, use door signage to share information with customers who visit you in person.

Monitor all available channels to ensure customers’ needs are being addressed, and respond as best you can, even if your operations are temporarily closed.

5. Use social media as a crisis communication tool.

Social media platforms — including X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube — can be excellent crisis communication tools. For example, many organizations already use X as a customer support channel and leverage other platforms to monitor customer sentiment and communications. During a crisis, these channels can help you provide timely updates and maintain an open line of communication with customers.

Your business blog is also a great communication tool in a crisis because it allows for more introspection and in-depth information.

6. Conduct postcrisis evaluation and follow-up communication.

Crisis intensity typically diminishes over time. When things have cooled off, take a step back and evaluate your company’s crisis response. Ask the following questions: 

• What strengths did we demonstrate?
• What weaknesses were exposed?
• How are we doing now?
• What could we do differently next time we’re in a crisis?

Neal emphasized the importance of learning from the experience and preparing for future challenges. “What have we learned? What are we going to do to fix the problem and make sure it never happens again?” Neal said.

At this point, reputation management and follow-up communication may be appropriate. For example, if you promised continuous updates to customers or the media, ensure that you deliver. 

5. Use social media as a crisis communication tool.

Social media platforms — including X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube — can be excellent crisis communication tools. For example, many organizations already use X as a customer support channel and leverage other platforms to monitor customer sentiment and communications. During a crisis, these channels can help you provide timely updates and maintain an open line of communication with customers.

Your business blog is also a great communication tool in a crisis because it allows for more introspection and in-depth information.

6. Conduct postcrisis evaluation and follow-up communication.

Crisis intensity typically diminishes over time. When things have cooled off, take a step back and evaluate your company’s crisis response. Ask the following questions: 

• What strengths did we demonstrate?
• What weaknesses were exposed?
• How are we doing now?
• What could we do differently next time we’re in a crisis?

Neal emphasized the importance of learning from the experience and preparing for future challenges. “What have we learned? What are we going to do to fix the problem and make sure it never happens again?” Neal said.

At this point, reputation management and follow-up communication may be appropriate. For example, if you promised continuous updates to customers or the media, ensure that you deliver. 

Crisis communication mistakes to avoid

Consider the following crisis communication mistakes and how to avoid them. 

Being untruthful

Mistakes happen. However, deflecting the truth is the quickest way for a situation to go from bad to worse. Misdirecting, deflecting or not taking responsibility for a crisis can be catastrophic for a business. Instead, prioritize your customers’ trust and lead with business transparency at all times. 

“Being transparent and showing contrition are standard pieces of advice given by crisis counselors,” Neal said.

Having unprepared leadership

Even effective business leaders may not understand how to navigate a crisis. Their inexperience and unpreparedness can make things worse. Neal emphasized the importance of media training. 

“Depending on the nature of the crisis, [media training] can, and should, be done at different levels,” Neal said. “Identify potential spokespeople who will play an official role in responding to the crisis. Have them trained by a PR professional, preferably one with either media experience or campaign or crisis experience.”

Not listening to customer feedback

Some businesses don’t proactively seek customer feedback to gain baseline data about their target audience’s needs, priorities and pain points. When a crisis hits, they’re at a disadvantage when gauging customer responses. To be better prepared, collect survey data regularly to understand your customers’ expectations and address their needs more effectively during a crisis. 

Losing sight of your employees’ needs

Companies often focus on external communication during a crisis, addressing stakeholder and customer needs — and rightly so. However, don’t forget to communicate with your team. Employees, particularly customer-facing ones, must be fully briefed on the situation to effectively communicate about the crisis. 

Additionally, be mindful that team members may experience heightened stress and pressure during a crisis. Check in on their mental health regularly, and recognize their hard work and dedication throughout the challenging period. Supporting your workforce fosters a strong company culture and bolsters resilience, thus helping your business navigate and recover from the crisis more effectively.

Being inconsistent

Multiple team members are likely doing their best to enact damage control. However, if they’re not on the same page, they’re likely spreading confusion and prolonging the crisis with inconsistent messaging. Instead, ensure that transparent, genuine and consistent communication is maintained throughout your organization. 

Not communicating

Often, a lack of communication exacerbates the original crisis by eroding trust and loyalty. Instead, do your best to communicate with consumers and stakeholders. Appoint a contact person or department to ensure accountability, and provide an online resource where people can go for current news and updates on the situation. 

Andrew Cuneo contributed to this article.