The Five P’s of Crisis Communications

If your company is facing a crisis, do you know how to communicate with your clients and the general public? One expert says it’s as easy as following the “five P’s” of crisis communications.

In an article on the Red Orbit website, consultant Jane N. Abitanta says in the midst of a crisis, the last thing many people want to do is talk to another panicked client. But that, she says, is exactly what you should do.

“In a crisis, the natural propensity is to stick one’s head in the sand, far, far away from the phone. There may be many deep psychological reasons for this: maybe you don't want to face conflict, perhaps you worry that you've made mistakes, or it is possible that your father was distant and your mother didn’t tell you she loved you,” she says. “But for now, who cares about all that mumbo-jumbo? This is no time to confront those issues - you just have to deal with the crisis at hand… Procrastination and avoidance will come back to bite you: so make the calls.”

Using the example of a financial advisor during the current economic turmoil, Abitanta offers what she calls the “five P’s” of crisis communication to help get through the tough times. They include:

• Be proactive
• Be prompt
• Offer perspective
• Be prepared
• Pool the calls

To read the full article, click here: http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1304030/the_5_ps_of_crisis_communications/index.html.