A-C-T N-O-W: A Six-Step Crisis Communication Strategy
Cheryl Reimold
Because a crisis by nature catches people
unprepared, every organization must have a crisis
communication strategy firmly in place to guide
those involved through the rough, uncharted waters.
An effective strategy is a what I call A-C-T N-O-W:
(1) Anticipate disaster before a crisis, using risk
management techniques. (2) Care about people
affected. (3) Tell what you know immediately.
(4) Note your next steps. (5) Offer help to
reinforcements. (5) Write press kits and other pieces
of public information. Since crisis mismanagement
can lead to the end of the company, effective
preparation for a crisis may well save your
company’s life.
In 1979, the nuclear power plant malfunction at
Three Mile Island spread into a meltdown for the
entire industry. In 1984, the tragedy at Bhopal left
Union Carbide reeling. In 1994, a tiny flaw in a
Pentium processor led to major damage for Intel in
market share and sales. Common to all three
problems was a striking miscommunication to the
public. Briefly stated, the companies involved said
too little, too late. As a result, rumors and fears
mushroomed and left clouds long after the crises.
Although some consequences are irremediable, the
way a company communicates a crisis to the world
does affect public perception of both the company
and its industry. Witness the positive public
reaction to two companies that responded instantly
and generously to crises: Johnson & Johnson (the
Tylenol scare) and Hyatt Regency (a fatal skywalk
collapse in Kansas City).
To avert long-term disasters, try A-C-T N-O-W, a
six-step crisis communication strategy.
STEP 1: ANTICIPATE DISASTER
This first step is essential preparation for the other
five. It has three parts.
Prepare a Crisis Inventory
Form a team of people from each area of work.
Each area representative writes up a crisis
inventory, to be submitted to the team leader by a
specified date. The leader then binds the
inventories into a single document, which is revised
at intervals appropriate to the equipment involved.
To prepare a crisis inventory, use a sheet of paper
with three columns: (1) What Could Go Wrong, (2)
How to Avoid It, (3) If It Happens.
Management
Now, look at everything in your operation, from a
desktop computer to a high-pressure storage tank.
Give each a worst-case scenario. What could break,
fall, explode, leak, be tampered with, fall into the
wrong hands, or otherwise cause harm? Note all
your observations in your Column 1.
Next, for each possible emergency noted ask, "What
could we do to prevent this?" If all safety measures
are in place, note them in Column 2 with a check
mark and date. If more could be done to avert a
problem, note what in Column 2, with action date.
Finally, for each potential hazard ask, "What
should we do if it occurs?" Consult with everyone
involved to draw up a plan, using the following
questions as a guide.
1. What must we do and know to avoid the most
damage?
2. What decisions must we make? Who else must
make decisions?
3. Whom must we contact?
4. What will the public need to know
immediately? How can we get this
information?
5. What resources will we require? Where can
we get them?
6. What emergency supplies will we need? Do we
have them available? Where?
7. What first-aid training do we have? Who can
do CPR and other life-saving procedures?
Consult experts to get the answers, if necessary.
Then note your plan in Column 3.
Have Crisis Drills
Play cut each potential crisis to test your plan,
revise it, and enable people to practice in peace
what they may need to do in chaos.
Build Good Press and Public Relations Now
If disaster strikes, the media will tell the world
about it. Building good press relations now can
help you get the goodwill as well as the air time
and space you will need then.
Find out now who are the appropriate local
reporters and newscasters. Invite them regularly
to company events, special days at your plant, or
affairs of public interest sponsored by your
company. Send them copies of quarterly reports
and other publications of general interest.
161
If you have a public relations office, check that it is
taking these actions; if not, appoint someone media
representative or—yes!—do it yourself.
STEP 2: CARE ABOUT PEOPLE AFFECTED
When crisis strikes, your first responsibility is to
the victims, not to yourself or your company.
Ironically, thinking this way is usually the only
way to save the company.
Suppose you manage a prestigious hotel in a large
city. Suddenly, a skywalk collapses, killing some
guests and injuring others. What do you do?
If you’re the manager of the Hyatt Regency in
Kansas City, you do two things. First, you care for
the victims. Then, you go a step further. You
bring in the victims’ loved ones—at your company’s
expense. You demonstrate compassion.
After the crisis, the public gave Hyatt high marks
for being an honorable, responsible, and caring
company—which, indeed, it proved itself to be.
STEP 3: TELL WHAT YOU KNOW QUICKLY
To stop false rumors and poor public perception,
you must speak quickly—or someone else will.
As soon as you can, tell the press and public what
you know. Then tell them what you don’t know
and when you hope to find out.
Don’t hide behind fears of legal reprisals or short-
term profit problems. Next to caring for victims,
public opinion centers on speed of information.
STEP 4: NOTE YOUR NEXT STEPS
After your immediate response to the crisis, you
can retreat briefly to prepare for a longer
communication program.
Check Your Priorities
Your first responsibility at all times is to try to
help the victims or prevent further disasters. If
reporters question you while you are busy helping
people, simply tell the truth: You are taking care
of people now. You will get all the facts later. No
one will accuse you of making the wrong choice.
Then, plan for your explanations and updates to
the public. Remember, you are not trying to
162 Management
outsmart, outguess, or evade reporters. Rather,
you are speaking through them to people. If you
keep people as your focus, you will give an honest,
thorough, and meaningful account.
Prepare for the Five W’s
You can build good media relations by calling
frequent news briefings and inviting reporters from
local and national papers, radio, TV, and the wire
services.
Newspapers will want the basic facts for the
same day’s edition and more background and
possible implications for future issues. The
broadcast media will want less background and
more updates. All will ask you the five w’s:
1. Who: was hurt...knows what happened.. can
give us some technical background?
2. What: happened...could happen next...are you
doing about it?
3. Where: did it happen...can effects reach...are
your sources of help?
4. When: did it occur...will you have more facts
could it happen again...will its effects end?
5. Why: did it happen...did you let it happen?
To be ready with complete answers, get details
from your engineers, designers, operators,
attorneys, and anyone else who would know. Seek
out information from everyone involved, from
company executives and outside experts to
customers, bystanders, and even the media
themselves. You can bet the reporters will check
all these sources, and you want to know at least as
much as they do!
Now, write complete answers to the five w’s in a
small notebook that you can always refer to and
update. Make your answers clear and precise, with
the latest facts, figures, and other specifics
explained in plain English.
Say Your Piece
Prepare a written statement to read and distribute.
Make it a single paragraph if possible. Say what
you believe happened, what it means, what your
company is doing about it, and any other message
your company wants people to hear.
You can use questions as bridges to get your
message across. Answer the question, but add that
you would like to set it within the larger picture.
Then say your piece.
STEP 5: OFFER HELP TO
REINFORCEMENTS
Take the time to write letters, faxes, and telegrams
to all those who are helping the victims. These
may include members of the police and fire
departments, other public officials, relief
organizations providing shelter and food, and
individuals lending an extra hand. They will all
appreciate your recognition and will be more ready
to go the extra mile for you.
STEP 6: WRITE PRESS KITS AND OTHER
PIECES OF PUBLIC INFORMATION
As soon as you can, prepare a press kit that tells
the public, via the media, what they want to know.
Your press kit should contain at the minimum a
press release and a backgrounder or fact sheet.
Add any other available information, such as
endorsements from respected professionals, that
can help you tell your story to the world.
The Press Release
A press release is a simple document. It should be
short—if possible, just one page, double-
spaced—and should give the essential facts as you
know them.
Let your title announce what happened and what
you are doing about it:
"ABC CORPORATION TAKES THREE STEPS TO
STOP CHEMICAL SPILL IN MILL"
Start the release with the place and date. Then,
tell what happened, when, where, and to whom. If
possible, include a direct quote from an important
company officer. Limit your first paragraph to
three sentences.
In the next two to three paragraphs, say briefly
how and why the disaster happened. If you do not
know, try to answer the other main questions that
you, as a member of the public, would have.
Use the last paragraph to tell what next—what the
company plans to do next to deal with the crisis.
The Backgrounder
The backgrounder is really an expanded press
release. Its purpose is to give a historical
perspective to the event and to augment
information in the press release. Reporters will
turn to the backgrounder for longer articles,
usually those that appear the day after the crisis.
Management
Open with a summary statement of the event.
Then give any supportive historical or technical
information. Try to answer other questions your
readers might have. Include biographical
information on company officers, if appropriate.
In all your reports to the public, tell the whole truth
as you know it. If you don’t, someone else will.
Misguided attempts to cover up a company flaw
may eventually bury the company itself.
A-C-T N-O-W — OR PAY LATER!
A-C-T N-O-W is an expensive crisis insurance
policy. It will cost you regular premiums in time
and effort, all to prepare for a disaster that may
never occur. Can you afford it? Is it worth it?
To decide, you might take a tip from a master of
crisis management. According to Captain Fred
Crocker of the Hartford, CT, Fire Department,
"People who have prepared for a fire are much
more likely to survive than those who haven’t." (1)
Companies, too.
REFERENCE
(1)Dodson, R., "Control Your Crisis," Reader’s
Digest, July 1992.
Cheryl F. Reimold
President
PERC Communications
6A Dickel Road
Scarsdale, NY 10583-2118, USA
(914) 725-1024
Cheryl Reimold has written more than 200 articles
and several books, including How to Write a Million-
Dollar Memo, Being a Boss, The Language of
Business, and How to Write What People Like to
Read. She teaches writing and presentation skills,
crisis management, and listening skills to businesses
and other organizations.
163