Tips for Crisis Communications Planning
- Mark Nicastre
- Nov 21
- 3 min read
Crisis communications can get complicated, especially if you are in the midst of a crisis. Thinking about crisis communications and crisis management proactively is essential so you are prepared to protect your brand and reputation.
"If you aren't proactive, expect to be reactive eventually."
I saw this quote recently regarding health and exercise, but it also applies to communications, especially crisis communications. Your proactive planning process can help ensure business continuity and crisis mitigation.
Community Building, Brand Management, and Proactive Public Relations
Every organization needs steady, proactive communication that builds goodwill over time. Waiting until a crisis puts you on the defensive without a foundation of brand equity or trust. You must develop and execute a plan to communicate with key audiences before problems appear.
Identify the Target Audience
Start by defining who matters most. Your audience includes people who care about your organization, product, or service. Clear audience definition shapes every communication decision. Once you know who you are speaking to, messages stay focused and relevant.
Develop Brand Awareness
Next comes visibility. Use media outreach, social content, paid placements, events, and sponsorships to build a positive public image. Consistent presence builds familiarity and trust.
Position the Organization as an Expert
Organizations earn trust by sharing useful knowledge. Thoughtful insight and clear information positions leadership as a reliable source and builds credibility long before a crisis starts.
Build Relationships with Stakeholders
Strong communities grow from relationships. Engage customers, employees, suppliers, and peers through conversations, events, surveys, and regular updates. Relationships built early hold value during stress.
Emphasize Values
Shared values bring people together. Clear mission and purpose help audiences understand what the organization stands for and why the work matters.
Encourage two-way communication
Engagement works both ways. Invite feedback. Listen. Respond. Social platforms and direct outreach help create connection and trust.
Measure success
Track progress with clear metrics. Look at media coverage, engagement, audience growth, and actions taken. Measurement keeps communication focused and honest.
Crisis Communications Planning and Training
Proactive work also means preparing for worst case scenarios. Strong organizations maintain crisis plans and test them through regular tabletop exercises.
At Fitler Square Strategies, we help organizations plan and train with our proprierty tools, Siege - a social media crisis simulator - and War Room - a crisis management platform.
Identify and Mitigate Risks for Crisis Management
Risk review needs to happen before trouble appears. Identify potential threats early. Encourage internal transparency so issues surface quickly. Feedback and regular process review help reduce exposure and strengthen culture.
Understand Roles and Responsibilities During Crisis Communication
Every team member must know how to execute the plan and their role when a crisis strikes,
Team members must understand the strategy, their responsibilities, and how decisions are made. Access to plans, contact lists, and protocols supports coordinated response.
War Room - a crisis management platform - puts all of your plans and documents in one place so you're ready when a crisis hits.
Develop Crisis Communications Plans
A written crisis plan helps anticipate problems, identify stakeholders, and outline response steps. The plan should define spokespeople, approval chains, communication channels, and operational safeguards. Clear structure reduces reactive decisions and confusion.
Conduct Crisis Communication Training
Training matters. Regular sessions help teams spot weaknesses before damage occurs. You can surface issues that your organization was unaware of during trainings. Practice reduces error and builds team confidence. Prepared teams respond faster and with more control.
Conclusion
Fitler Square Strategies can help you think about being proactive now, whether it is your planning, training, or brand building, because you don't want to be reactive at the worst moment.
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