Two years into my first crisis communications job, I felt salty. I had my “trial by fire” case in the first month, and came out of it unscathed. I had been interviewed by reporters hundreds of times for dozens of emergencies. Given the facts of a case, I could whip out a serviceable, well-constructed news […]
Category Archives: Pro Tips
In·for·ma·tion /infərˈmāSHən/ noun: knowledge that you get about someone or something; the communication or receiving of knowledge or intelligence. Fact /fakt/ noun: something that actually exists; reality; a truth verifiable from experience or observation. A common thread running through our profession is that the simplest of concepts are often overlooked or taken for granted. That’s bad news for organizations responding to emergencies and crises, (but good […]
If you’re a crisis communicator, you routinely have bad news to give people who are affected by the latest disaster. In the midst of responding to crisis, your job is to build and/or maintain people’s trust and credibility in you and your organization’s abilities. Being transparent with bad news – while telling people what you’re […]
“BLUF.” It means, “bottom line, up front.” Insert it at the beginning of any piece of written communication, and you’re telling those receiving the message, “this is most important.” If you’re a professional communicator, it’s the same thing as “flagging” during media interviews. So, what’s the BLUF when it comes to collaborative crisis communications? The […]
The first post in our “Crisis Comms 101” series laid out the sucky outcomes of a poorly-managed crisis. The outcomes include long-term loss of credibility, confidence and, ultimately, the loss of support required to do what your organization does, whether it be a charity, a government agency or Fortune 500 company. In the posts that […]
The Crisis Communicator 