Use Your Summer Break to Dust Off Your Crisis Plan!

As communicators, we all know and recognize that having a crisis plan in place is key for any business. With the recent data security breaches from Target, Ebay and Michaels to name a few, our agency recently attended the PRSA Dallas breakfast program to brush up on our crisis communication skills. The presentation was a great refresher for our team about how to handle a crisis situation including data security breaches for both B2C and B2B clients. In case you missed it, here are a few key takeaways about prepping for a crisis:

C. Pharr's Kathrine Brody flanked by two PRSA Dallas members

• Be a business person first and then a communicator. Learn the language of your company, and you will have more credibility with the C-Suite and will be more adept at handling a crisis.
• Identify BOTH the internal and external communication teams before a crisis occurs.
• Your customers are your "North Star." Ensure you communicate with them clearly and effectively, which will help guide strategy.
• Think through what statements and information you plan on pushing out via social media. Twitter is preferential vs. Facebook.
• Take time to keep your internal audience informed - your employees are your most credible spokesperson. 
• Be careful about claiming an issue is "fully resolved." 

For even more information about prepping for a data security breach, read the blog from the PRSA Dallas speaker, David Chamberlin, EVP and GM of Edelman's Dallas office.

PRSA Dallas has numerous professional development programs throughout the year for its members. This breakfast was another successful, well-attended event and the C. Pharr team learned alot!

PRSA Dallas member, Blake Lewis, APR; PRSA Dallas President, Leah Ekmark Williams, APR; PRSA Dallas Speaker & Edelman EVP, David Chamberlin

This post was contributed by C. Pharr's Leah Ekmark Williams, APR. @leahcpc

Use Your Summer Break to Dust Off Your Crisis Plan!