Here's a 10-rule primer on how to deal with the press during a crisis situation:
1. Have a plan in place: Don’t learn on the job.
2. Have a team in place: Assign duties before disaster strikes.
3. Designate a single spokesperson—the organization’s top executive
4. Designate a media coordinator: Cater to the needs of the media.
5. Keep your Web site updated—that’s the first place the media looks
6. Develop key messages: Stay on message; stay calm.
7. Meet with media regularly: Keep the lines of communication open.
8. Maintain a media list and log: Know who you’re talking to and when,
9. Remember your audiences: The media also speaks with employees, neighbors, government, etc.
10. Be human: Show concern and compassion while maintaining honesty.
This is excerpted from PR News' upcoming Crisis Management Guidebook. These tips were written by Kevin L. Sullivan, chief marketing officer for Fisher & Phillips LLP, a national law firm representing employers across the nation in labor, employment, civil rights, business immigration and employee benefits matters. To find out more information about this and other guidebooks, go to www.prnewsonline.com/store.