CRISIS COMMS CHECKLIST

dy when it does. This 10-step checklist is designed to guide you through a crisis as it happens. Use it alongside your organizatio

Recognize the forming crisis and get ready

Review with your legal team/stakeholders
for action
Report relevant information to executives and
Grab that Crisis Comms Playbook decision makers

Gather any and all available information, both

Consult with legal team/executives before sending out
internally and externally
any external communications

Utilize your media monitoring

Deliver the deliverables
Ensure your searches are ready to go and add in
any keywords that pertain to the crisis Send out press releases and social media posts
(if applicable)

Compare the share of voice of the crisis with your

benchmarked coverage Ensure your spokesperson has a clear voice throughout
your deliverables

Check social media monitoring for reach

and engagement around the crisis

Alert the team and provide information

Monitor for additional coverage and
Make sure the chain of command and responses
communication is clear
Look closely at the social conversation
Decide if your team needs to pause any scheduled
social media posts, client emails, content, etc. Check for spikes in media coverage

Respond when and where appropriate

Develop your messaging

Reassess the situation
Know the relevant internal, leadership, customer, and
media talking points If the crisis is contained, breathe a sigh of relief

If not, consider reaching out to some journalists

Establish a spokesperson and a source of truth where and/or influencers- who are advocates of your
you can direct traffic to (e.g., a blog post) brand- to help mitigate the crisis

Prepare your deliverables (as necessary)

Perform a postmortem
Prepare a press release
Analyze where you handled the crisis effectively
Prepare social media posts and where there was room for improvement

Prepare for a press conference

Update your crisis comms plan for future events

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