Whats the difference between a crisis communications plan and a crisis management plan?
A crisis communications plan aids quick response, clear thinking and inclusiveness under fire. It works hand-in-hand with a disaster plan to mitigate (or reduce) the damages, focusing on presenting the situation in the best possible light. Creating the plan in advance of the crisis allows you the luxury of having time to think through what’s needed undistracted, and frees up time to handle the crisis when it occurs. The goal is to gather all critical information in one place, so you won’t have to search for it during the actual event. A crisis communications plan outlines: • who should speak and who shouldn’t comment • materials that need to be produced • who should be involved in the process and who shouldn’t • who needs to be in the loop and who should be left out both internally and externally • the organization’s crisis telephone directory with the numbers for reaching critical people 24-7. Q: The top person should speak for my organization — right? A: Not necessarily. Although you
