Best practices for proper crisis communication for small businesses

When a crisis arises in your business, it is important to have a good crisis communication team to manage it. It is also important to have a suitable plan of action to handle business communications. Having a great crisis communication plan is crucial in our highly connected world. While it is impossible to avoid some PR crises, this situation can happen outside the control of your brand so it is crucial to have a plan for managing them properly. Here are a few things you need to know about good crisis communication management, including the best practices to follow as an owner of a small business. Here are some of the best practices for crisis communication.

Develop a plan in advance

The first mistake that small businesses commit is failing to have a plan. A communication plan acts as a blueprint for leaders to properly guide their company through a given situation. The best way to plan is to take a potential crisis and create a way to respond to it. Outline every step you wish to take to handle the issue from the beginning to the end and both externally and internally. Having written and clear guidelines for your business and its staff is very important.

Have a timely response

Whilst you do not want to make any emotionally charged and rash statements that have not been thought through, it is crucial to develop a message to address crises as soon as possible. When a crisis happens, it is crucial to have a timely response. This means your PR agency should always be ready to respond. You should do your research and develop a plan to respond to the crisis. Having a proper plan in place will help with proper and timely communication.

Minimise miscommunication and delegate responsibilities

Company leaders can get overwhelmed during a crisis and this is why it is crucial to delegate your communication plan’s execution. You should ensure you delegate the most important responsibilities to a small group of people. As you delegate these responsibilities, it is important to appoint one person to be the voice who talks on behalf of your business without the crisis, rather than different people attempting to be the spokespeople of your company.

Consult crisis and legal management professionals

Trying to solve a crisis on your own can lead you to legal problems so it is wise to have a great legal team on standby before issuing any communication. Leaders should avoid tackling a crisis without proper advice from a professional legal team. Every team should consult with a lawyer to ensure you aren’t making the problem worse.

Prioritise your team

It is very easy to devote your attention to external stakeholders or the media during a crisis. However, you should ensure you are communicating with your team. Your employees should be a priority during a crisis as they become powerful messengers during crisis communication. You should ensure your employees are safe, informed and valued. Trust is very important during hard situations and you should maintain the trust of your employees.