My lecture @MassChallengeCH last week. I was thrilled to be part of that exciting program and certainly one of the most largest Start-up accelarating Program worldwide. Always interesting to share with next gen project holders about communications, reputation and crisis management.

1. WHY YOU SHOULD CARE
ABOUT CRISIS
(COMMUNICATIONS).
Lausanne, Septembre 21, 2017

2. 3
1. Some definitions
2. Crisis management VS Crisis communications
3. Know your business!
4. Examples & learnings
5. Key steps
6. Conclusion
AGENDAor not…

3. 3 characteristics separating crises from other unpleasant
occurrences:
1. Surprise
2. Threat
3. Short response time
DEFINITIONwhat is a crisis ?

4. DEFINITIONcrisis management
By definition a crisis is an unexpected and detrimental
situation or event.
Crisis communication can play a significant role by
transforming the unexpected into the anticipated and
responding accordingly.

5. The communication crisis is the effort taken by a company to
communicate with the public and stockholders when an
unexpected event occurs that could have a negative impact
on the company's reputation. This can also refer to the efforts
to inform employees or the public of a potential hazard which
could have a catastrophic impact.
Crisis Communication refers to a special wing which deals
with the reputation of the individuals as well as the
organization. Crisis communication is an initiative which aims
at protecting the reputation of the organization and
maintaining its public image.
DEFINITIONcrisis communications

6. 01/
TIME CHANGES.
TOOLS & SPEED ALSO.
Strategic thinking doesn’t

7. COMMUNICATIONSis and always will be
• A transmitter (The communicator)
• A message (The campaign)
• A channel (The communication tool)
• A receiver (The audience)
Just the paradigm changed !

8. « Public relations are a key
component of any operation in this
day of instant communications and
rightly inquisite citizens. »
Alvin Adams, American Entrepreneur
(1804 – 1877)

9. COMMUNICATIONgoals during a crisis
• Reassure
• Reestablish trust
• Demonstrate you are in control
• Reflect a positive image
• Be consistent
• Show proximity (in word & acts)
• Work on synergies
Don't forget internal audiences

10. 02//
Crisis management
VS
Crisis communications
The DOs & DON’Ts

11. • Marketing communications (the product)
• Institutional communications (the company)
• Internal communications (the employees)
• Reputational management (overall)
• Investors relations (financial)
All targets, actions, channels, strategies you use in your daily
business will be involved in a crisis situation.
COMMUNICATIONareas & targets

12. TO AVOID @ all costs
• To not let the press and media representatives do their job
• Let anyone express themselves in front of the camera
• Hide problems and consequences
• Speculate (causes, origins, consequences )
• Improvise
• Share partial information (concious omission)
• Raise false hopes
• Excuse yourself or being surprised
• Designate a responsible person
• Bring past crisis into the discussion
• Work under pressure

13. FOCUS & GIVEpriority to
• Facts that are 200% confirmed
• Know what can be said
• Inform staff members and employee first
• Assure consistancy among Crisis Response Team
members
• One single spokesperson (at a time).
• Inform the media outlets and take into considerations their
deadlines
• Accompany the journalists
• Press material up to date (text, images, graphs, schemes,
videos, animations)

14. DUTIES& responsabilities
• Handel a situation that could harm the activities of the
company
• Pursue the daily operations, keep your business running
• Adapt your plan to the on-going crisis
• Manage the crisis in a flexible way but centralized
• Coordinate the missions, internal and external resources.
• Analyze information
• Engage with employees, media, public, authorities
proactively and in a targeted way.

15. « It takes 20 years
to build a reputation
and five minutes to ruin it »
Warren Buffet
American businessman and investor

16. 03////
DO YOU KNOW
YOUR BUSINESS?
Assess the risks!

17. • Product
• Production
• People
• Providers
ASSESSyour risks, all of them.

18. MAP & ENGAGEyour stakeholders
Source
Dr.
Myrza
Rahmanita

19. An efficient crisis communications needs :
• A dedicated multidisciplinary team
• Spokesperson(s)
• Crisis communications manual / “Bibel”
• First response wording & holding statements
• Workflow & decision patterns (inc. tools, i.e. App)
ORGANIZEyour ressources

20. 04/////
A FEW EXAMPLES
from respected brands…

29. 06/////
THE KEY STEPS
Get started today…

30. 31
• Identify any potential crisis for your company
• Conduct an internal vulnerability audit
• List best-case / worst case scenarii
• Practice monitoring and social listening actively
• Involve all relevant internal department & resources
ASSESS & IDpotential risks

31. 32
• Set up a Crisis Taskforce with clear duties for each member
• Elaborate clear guidelines
• Nominate spokesperson(s) and train them
• Conceptualize a Crisis Communication Guidebook
• Define a clear workflow and communications channels
DEFINEcommunication framework

32. 33
• Establish and communicate a member list of the taskforce
• Develop holding statements and responses
• List and select the appropriate tools (print / digital / others)
• Keep your information up-dated
• Map your stakeholders (media representatives inc.)
PREPAREkey actions & tools

33. 34
• Train your Crisis Taskforce members
• Adapt your crisis scenarii accordingly to your company
evolution.
• Drill exercises
• Update all useful material on a regular basis
• Enhance your tools when ever possible.
• Inform all parties on significant changes.
• After a crisis reassess your processes and learn out of your
failures.
TEST, EXECUTE& review

35. « Be prepared for the worst,
hope for the best. »
Thank you for your attention.