When tragedy strikes, panic can set in on an organization. As reporters look for stories and families request information, effectively communicating the known details of the event becomes even more important.
With a proper communication plan set in place, your public agency will be prepared to correctly respond to the incident in a helpful and beneficial manner. Good communication in a crisis can rally support, calm the public, provide needed information, and even save lives.
It’s vital for agencies to be ready to respond to crises, but how do you go about doing so? Effective techniques include using message maps and anticipating different questions for different scenarios.
Message Maps
A message map is a technique that allows agencies to share difficult information in a streamlined, simplified way. With message mapping, a target audience receives the message in broken down, formulaic bits with key messages and supporting messages working together. There are a number of rules that keep the message clear and simple, but the most important ones are that the messages be written in language understandable to a middle school student and that the entire map is readable in under 30 seconds.
When to Prepare a Message Map
According to Dr. Vincent Cavello, studies show that 95% of questions stakeholders will ask during a crisis can be predicted in advance — for any event. With a prepared message map, you can anticipate the statements you will need to make after a specific event or crisis and communicate with the public more efficiently. This is especially important for emergency responders, as they often have the most up-to-date information, but are often focused on life safety and coordinating relief efforts rather than communication. Preparing these messages beforehand allows responders to continue focusing on their difficult tasks and quickly communicating with the public.
While all situations will have different information in terms of specifics, all incidents have certain aspects that are similar. When preparing a statement, be sure to use messages that can apply to different events. It’s also important to be thorough in the possible situations that require a message. The Western Region Homeland Security Advisory Council provides a complete list of crisis messaging examples that can be pulled at any point. With this document, you can see how they prepare for any situation and break down each situation to best deliver their message to the public.
With message mapping and planning ahead, communication plans can be largely beneficial to both you and the public. It allows the agency to focus on the difficult task or relief effort on hand and also gives the public much-needed information to put them more at ease. While you might not have all the answers, your clear, level-headed transparency will assure everyone you are doing everything to combat the current crisis.