What a Crisis Communications Plan Should Contain

A crisis communications plan should name the people responsible, explain how decisions are made and approved, identify the scenarios most likely to affect the organisation, and prepare holding statements, contact lists and channels in advance. Its purpose is to let the organisation respond quickly and accurately when time is short.

For businesses, cultural organisations and public figures in Ghana, a crisis can start with a complaint on social media, an incident at an event or a report in the press. The plan should be ready before it is needed.

The crisis team

Name the people who will manage the response and their deputies. Usually this includes a senior decision-maker, a communications lead, someone with operational knowledge and access to legal advice. Include phone numbers that work outside office hours.

Define who has authority to approve public statements. In a crisis, unclear approval is one of the most common causes of delay.

How to assess a situation

Set out a simple way to judge the seriousness of an issue. Questions might include:

• Is anyone at risk of harm?
• Is the issue confirmed or still a claim?
• How many people are affected?
• Is it already public, and how widely is it being discussed?
• Could it affect the organisation's ability to operate?

Not every negative comment is a crisis. A clear assessment helps the team respond proportionately.

Likely scenarios

List the situations most relevant to your organisation and agree an initial approach for each. For an events business, that might include a safety incident, a cancellation, a ticketing failure or a dispute with a performer. For a brand, it might include a product complaint, an employee issue or a partner controversy.

Holding statements

Prepare short statements that can be adapted and issued quickly while the facts are confirmed. A holding statement acknowledges the situation, shows that it is being taken seriously, explains what is being done and says when more information will follow. It should not speculate or assign blame.

Facts and verification

Agree how information will be gathered and confirmed before it is shared. Keep a single, current record of verified facts that everyone responding can see. Correct errors quickly if they occur.

Audiences and channels

List the people who need to hear from you and the order in which they should be informed: those directly affected, staff, partners, regulators where relevant, the media and the public. Note the channels for each, including the website, social media accounts and media contacts.

Make sure passwords and access to official accounts are available to the people who will need them.

Spokespeople

Name the spokesperson for different scenarios and prepare them in advance. They should be senior enough to be credible and calm enough to speak clearly under pressure.

Monitoring

Agree how the team will follow media coverage and online conversation during the response, and who will report what they find. This helps the team judge whether its communication is being understood.

After the crisis

Review what happened, what worked and what should change. Update the plan, the scenarios and the contact list. Where the organisation made commitments during the crisis, communicate progress against them.

Keep it usable

A crisis plan is only useful if people can find and follow it quickly. Keep it short, store it where the team can reach it outside office systems, and test it with a practice scenario at least once a year.

PR369's Strategic Communications and PR service includes issues and crisis communications. Email info@pr369.com to discuss your organisation's risks and current preparation. We will begin with a strategy conversation.