Five Crucial Steps to Take in the First Hour of a Crisis

This is a CRUNCH 'small bite' - a quick tip for our followers and fans.When a crisis hits, the first hour can make or break your reputation.In this episode, Heather Claycomb and Natalie Swart walk through what leaders and comms people must do in those first 60 minutes. They talk about how to pull your crisis team together fast, get clear on who is doing what, and stop people working at cross purposes.HMC director Heather Claycomb and HMC senior account manager Natalie Swart share practical tips for gathering solid facts, sorting truth from rumour, and deciding who needs to hear from you first. They explain why staff and key stakeholders should usually be at the front of the queue, and when you need to go public early versus when you can keep things contained.You will also hear how to shape simple, honest key messages that cover what you know, what you do not know yet, and what you are doing next. The goal is to keep control of the story before social media does it for you.Key takeawaysIn the first hour, get your crisis team together and give everyone clear roles.Collect only confirmed facts. Do not base your response on guesswork or gossip.Work out your key audiences, starting with your staff and closest stakeholders.Decide if you need to communicate publicly yet, based on the scale and visibility of the issue.Write short, clear key messages that state what has happened, what you are doing and what is still unknown.Move early to set the story. If you stay silent, others will fill the gap for you.Companies mentioned in this episode:HMC