Our senior vice president, Nicole Kieser, had the opportunity to speak to students at Northeastern University earlier this month. The class, Public Relations Principles, focused on crisis communications during a mass casualty incident- i.e. Boston Marathon bombings from April 15, 2013. Sadly, Brussels was also part of this discussion, as terrorism is a fact of daily life in 2016.
Nicole’s career has taken her through various newsrooms in Boston, and her experience in public relations also has required her to lead crisis management for many clients.
A crisis doesn’t need to be at the level of the marathon bombings or Brussels suicide bombings for it to need attention. Any company, at any time, can face a crisis situation which can make or break their brand and their reputation. It’s how you handle the crisis that will ultimately define the company’s future success. Nicole offered a few best practices when a crisis hits to the NU students.
Expect it to happen, prepare in advance. Inevitably, all companies face a crisis, whether of their own making, or due to unforeseen circumstances. There are some very definitive steps to take to be prepared for when the crisis hits.
When the crisis hits:
As the crisis continues:
When the crisis passes, regroup and assess. Are there areas for improvement? Did the plan work well? Continue your outreach to victims, invest in their emotions- it’s the right thing to do.