Part Three: crisis communications planning and message mapping. For the CEMA EIO training in March 2015. Focus: crisis comms preparation and technique (message mapping)

1. Crisis Comms PlanningCrisis Comms Planning
and Message Mappingand Message Mapping
CEMA
March 2015
Patrice Cloutier

2. Today’s presentationToday’s presentation
1. Introduction
2. Context … and challenges
3. Understanding what's behind a message map
4. Preparing a message map
5. Delivering the message map

3. IntroductionIntroduction
What is emergency information?
What our audiences need to know to protect
themselves, their families, property and the
environment.
What we need to communicate to help ensure
our audiences will adopt the right behaviour
during a crisis or emergency.
Also important: presenting your organization’s
response to an incident under the best possible
light.

4. Know the hazards and risksKnow the hazards and risks
Different types of incidents

5. Meeting the new challengesMeeting the new challenges
Why use a crisis communications approach?
• Avoid communications regret !
• Use efficient risk communications process

6. Meeting the new challengesMeeting the new challenges
Why use a crisis communications approach?
• It’s about speed … and occupying the public space
• To meet the challenge … need the five Ps
• Procedures
• People
• Preparation
• Practice
• Platforms

7. The Crisis Communications PlanThe Crisis Communications Plan
The first P: Procedures
•Simple, intuitive
•Your people need to be familiar with them
•Principals, alternates and second alternates
•Think middle of the night on a weekend !
•Delegation of authority
•Flexible

8. The Crisis Communications PlanThe Crisis Communications Plan
The second P: People
•Trained spokesperson
•Top commanders and executives
•Principals, alternates and second alternates
•Familiarize with plan and procedures
•Demonstrate confidence and competence

9. The Crisis Communications PlanThe Crisis Communications Plan
The third P: Preparation
•Crisis communications technique
•Pre-approved messaging
•Identified audiences and channels to reach them

10. The Crisis Communications PlanThe Crisis Communications Plan
The fourth P: Practice
•A plan untested is a plan unproven
•Principals and alternates
•Communications component to every exercise

11. The Crisis Communications PlanThe Crisis Communications Plan
The fifth P: Platforms
•Notification and alerting systems
•Social networks
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Youtube
• Others
•Social media monitoring tools

12. Message MappingMessage Mapping
Crisis communications technique
developed by Dr. Vincent Covelo from
New York.
Advised Mayor Giuliani prior to 9-11
Successful communications
response using message mapping
◦ Message maps pre-approved
◦ Trained people
◦ Lots of prior exercises

13. Message MappingMessage Mapping
Message mapping
• Science-based … on target messaging
• Based on difference in brain functions/processes during
a crisis as opposed to routine situations
• Easy to use …. Visual representation
• Anticipate issues and questions and develop key
messages ahead of time

14. Why use a crisis communications approach?
◦ Ensure effective communications and that your
audience adopt the right behaviour.
◦ Enhances your capacity to offer a prompt
communications response to incidents and crises
◦ Helps establish an organization’s credibility.

15. Message Mapping: Prepare!Message Mapping: Prepare!
If you want to communicate promptly,
you need to have pre-approved
messages ready!

16. How your prepare the messageHow your prepare the message
maps … Routine vs Crisismaps … Routine vs Crisis
To be heard, you need to craft the
right messages!
Routine … Crisis …

17. Brain ProcessesBrain Processes
Our abilities change ...

18. Brain ProcessesBrain Processes
What it means for communicators …
the rule of 27/9/3

19. The rule of 3 (cont’d)The rule of 3 (cont’d)
• 27/9/3 model: a critical tool
• Based on rule of 3: three key messages each with
three supporting messages or key facts
• Easy to visualize and share for multiple purposes …

20. The rule of 3The rule of 3
• 27/9/3 model: a critical tool
• Media: broadcast and print
• Matches what brain retains during crises
• Works for images too … different part of the brain …
give you the ability to convey more info

21. Changes in cognitive abilitiesChanges in cognitive abilities
• What’s also important?
• The order of your messages …

22. Other obstacleOther obstacle
Comprehension levels

23. How you craft a message mapHow you craft a message map
•The order of your messages …
• Impact on how you craft and deliver a message map ...
• Level of comprehension ... we normally write for grade
6-8 level .... during a crisis, you need to adjust your
language/vocabulary to grade two or three level ...
Here's what a message map looks
like then

24. Message Map ExampleMessage Map Example
How you read it ... from left to right the three key messages and then you
repeat each message followed by the three supporting facts or messages
… you can add message of empathy to start, end with call to action.

25. DeliveryDelivery
• Verbal vs non-verbal
• Things are totally reversed.
• Routine: 75% verbal and 25 % non-verbal
• Crisis: 75% non-verbal and 25% verbal
• What’s also important? Show poise!

26. Feel … No Mr. RobotoFeel … No Mr. Roboto
Compassion, Competence, Optimism

27. Virginia Tech … example of a good deliveryVirginia Tech … example of a good delivery
• CCO template
• Compassion
• Competence/Conviction
• Optimism

28. DeliveryDelivery
• We will recover ...
• Continue to invent the future at Virginia
Tech, through our tears and blood.
• Words matter and how you express them

29. In SummaryIn Summary
Anticipate
Prepare
Practice
Questions ???