You never know when your organization may need a crisis communications plan. Why? Because every organization is vulnerable to crises. That's why it is important to have a crisis communications plan.

What is a crisis?
I've recently been consulting with a client about this issue of crisis communications. A crisis is any situation that is threatening or could threaten to harm people or property, seriously interrupt business, damage reputation or negatively impact share value.

News travels faster than ever
Unfortunately there has been a number of crises this summer -- both in the Twin Cities and throughout the nation and the world. For example, the bridge collapse on I-35W happened quickly and without warning. It was a terrible tragedy and news of the disaster spread instantaneously around the country. You can be sure the communications staff for the Governor and City of Minneapolis had crisis communications plans in place.

Crisis preparedness and response
There are also many other crisis that happen on a smaller scale, but that can still damage an organization's reputation, sales, image, etc. While the size and impact of crises differs, the need for clear communications remains important. Translation: if you don't prepare, you will experience more damage.

Identify key audiences
When developing a crisis communications plan or when facing a crisis, it is critical to consider how you will communicate with all your key audiences or stakeholders is a crisis occurs. For example, you need to make sure that you communicate information not only with the media, but also with your internal audiences, such as employees. Many organizations often fail to communicate with their internal audiences before releasing information to the media.

Top ten tips
Here are my top ten tips for clear communication in critical situations:

1. Develop a crisis communications plan.
2. Identify your crisis communications team.
3. Break the story first, before the media does. Remember, you need to communicate with the media in good times and in bad.
4. Take charge quickly
5. Be open and responsive to media calls.
6. Stick to the facts as you know them.
7. Keep your cool.
8. Show your concern for others affected by the crisis.
9. Respect and respond to news deadlines.
10. State clearly and concisely what you plan to do to correct the situation.

When it comes to managing and protecting your organization's reputation, remember what Warren Buffet once said: "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it."

Please contact BKM Consulting, Inc. today if you need help developing a crisis communications plan for your company or organization.

It's been a busy summer at BKM Consulting, Inc. Following is a recap of recent and new public relations/communications consulting, writing and training projects:

Public Relations/Communications Consulting

• Providing PR consulting, writing and media relations to raise the local visibility of Minnesota Computers for Schools and their tenth anniversary on Oct. 11, 2007.
• Providing PR consulting, writing and media relations to promote WomenVenture's 2007 annual conference.
• Ongoing PR consulting, writing and media relations to increase the national visibility of New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont.

Writing Projects

• Wrote new web site copy for Century College.
• Wrote article on quality training initiatives for Normandale Community College catalog.
• Write regular sales/marketing articles for Star Tribune JOBS.

Training Projects

• Designed and conducted web site writing training for ISEEK/Career One Stop in conjunction with Century College.
• Designed and conducted customer care writing training for Northwest Airlines in conjunction with the University of Minnesota College of Continuing Education.
• Developing a new web site writing course for November for the University of Minnesota College of Continuing Education.