You’re facing a crisis. You’re busy trying to get your operations up and running. You may not have time to deal with the media. But how you communicate can strengthen or destroy the reputation of your company. Sometimes irreparably.

The pervasiveness of the news media has created a new phenomenon. The general public can closely follow emergency situations as they occur and develop. The infamous "O.J. Bronco chase" is only one example. Because of this depth of coverage, companies are no longer judged only by the operational response to an emergency. Companies also can fail because of a poor communications response. Exxon was heavily criticized because several days passed before the president of the company spoke publicly on the Valdez spill. TWA also received criticism because of the perception that the company responded slowly to the crash of flight 800.

Unfortunately, in a crisis situation, perception has little to do with reality. Your company may be conducting an excellent operational response, but if you don’t handle communications effectively, the perception can be that your company is unresponsive, uncaring and not in control of the situation.

By its very nature, an emergency situation is unexpected and disruptive. It may seem ironic, but the best way to manage communications during a crisis situation is to plan for it in advance.

A good crisis communications plan does not need to be voluminous. Some of the most effective plans are short, easy to read and easy to implement. What you need in your plan will vary based on the specifics of your business, industry, communities you do business in, etc. But some general guidelines can be followed:

1. Know what can happen to your company. From industrial accidents to product tamperings to union strikes, you should identify the possible crisis situations that your company could face. Make a list and update it regularly.
2. Know whom to call. Make a list of spokespeople and the rest of your company’s emergency response team with off-hours phone numbers. Your plan should have a call-out procedure for your staff.
3. Manage media contact. All of your employees should know who is responsible for speaking to the media. A good precautionary measure is to inform all employees that no one should give interviews without approval.
4. Know your audience. The general public is important. But you must be aware of other important audiences for your company — employees and their families, shareholders, regulators, elected officials, community leaders. Make a list and make sure you communicate with them.
5. Prepare as much in advance as possible. Once you’ve identified potential crisis situations, prepare background material that will be needed. Sample press releases and position statements can be formatted for easy revision and updating during an actual crisis. Media will want background information on company operations and executives. By preparing fact sheets and bio sheets in advance, you won’t have to scramble to produce them during the heat of a crisis.

In general, preparation is the key. The better prepared you are, the more quickly and effectively you will be able to respond.

The following are some quick guidelines for handling interviews during the first moments of a crisis: