For Teams Large and Small, There’s No Substitute for Crisis Plans and Tools

Crises aren’t limited to large corporations and global conglomerates. Small businesses and nonprofit organizations deal with their share as well. One difference is where major companies often have ample budgets for hiring outside crisis advisors and purchasing tools, smaller, cash-strapped entities may rely on just one PR pro or communicator and little technology.

More than that, small PR teams face some of the same issues that larger teams encounter. Preparation is one such issue.

“No one likes to think about what might go wrong,” says Elizabeth Ransom, CEO, Ransom Strategic Communications.

As such, we spoke with PR pros who work at or counsel nonprofits and smaller businesses on tools and processes they can deploy to prepare for crises.

While smaller companies have less room for error during a crisis, these pros argue a mix of preparation and free or low-cost tools can provide a solid foundation before one begins.
Advance Prep
For PR pros flying solo or lacking resources to hire outside, expert counsel, going through a crisis preparedness process can make you wish you had 10 hands not two.

Ginger Geoffrey, director of communications at Neighborhood Health Center of WNY, Inc., needs to be prepared for a variety of healthcare-adjacent crises, which could include anything from a mass evacuation or malpractice investigation to cybersecurity threats and labor disputes.

She says without a large team, advance planning can help when having to react to a crisis and play several roles at once as it unfolds.