HOW TO WRITE A CRISIS COMMUNICATION Â PRESS RELEASE
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Tone and Transparency Crises can and do happen to all types of organizations, from public corporations and private companies to hospitals and governments. Shareholders, customers, employees, patients and constituents have a right to know the truth in a timely and transparent way. Organizations that are not forthcoming can easily back themselves into a destructive cycle from which they may find it difficult or impossible to recover. Leaders should make every effort to maintain their accessibility and positive relationships with the press, both before and during a crisis, as credibility can determine both how the crisis is reported and how the public perceives it. The press is adept at discerning open dialogue and transparency versus delay and obfuscation, and reports accordingly. Concrete Steps Organizations should develop and practice proactive procedures so that when a crisis hits, they are prepared. Levelheaded action trumps panic every time. Upper management members should be notified immediately so they can begin to deal with the crisis rather than learning about it on the Internet or their local news media. Regulated and licensed businesses must notify the appropriate agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Effective press releases indicate all such specific steps taken, including dates, contact information, personnel involved and ongoing plans. Responsibility History has repeatedly shown that organizations willing to accept responsibility swiftly and unequivocally can quickly regain the confidence and trust of key constituents. In a well-known case from the 1980s, the sabotage of Tylenol could easily have sent the brand's owner, Johnson & Johnson, reeling for years. As The New York Times reported, "But only two months later, Tylenol was headed back to the market, this time in tamper-proof packaging and bolstered by an extensive media campaign. A year later, its share of the $1.2 billion analgesic market, which had plunged to 7 percent from 37 percent following the poisoning, had climbed back to 30 percent." The company put its customers first by recalling 31 million bottles and replacing them free of charge in a tamper-resistant form. Length Accurate and concise press releases should generally fit on a single page and fall within 300 to 500 words. Beyond that length, editors are less inclined to take the time to carefully read through them. When sent by fax, one-page press releases also avoid the possibility of lost or mismatched pages. If necessary, further communications can be sent when additional crisis information or updates become available.