To believe that any organization is immune to a crisis is a big mistake. Even the most reputed corporations like Burberry, Volkswagen, FIFA, Tesla, and Lance Armstrong have received flak from the public in the recent past. It was either due to misconducts of important personalities associated with the brand or controversial brand policies. These crises periods do not come after an announcement. They catch even the best of the best market management teams by surprise, and they throw the PR teams on a tizzy.

Any operational crisis or PR blunder calls for immediate mitigation. The only way to find your preparedness for such a disaster is by running vulnerability audits of your media plans. When any brand becomes the center of controversies, their followers and customers want someone to release an official statement. However, many start-ups and even bigger corporations fail to respond objectively to a crisis.

Why do companies require formal crisis communications training?

The lack of proper training will lead to the breakdown of operational response and confusion among the key stakeholders of the company. Moreover, it will extend the period of appropriate response from the organization. Check out the Media Works site to learn more about crisis communications and management in different fields of work.

 Here’s how formal communications training in the events of crisis can help you –

1. You or your PR representative will be able to communicate with your audience via social media, broadcast media and other online tools.
2. Training will give you a better understanding of the issues, and it will allow you to take control of the situation. Moreover, it will help you engage the stakeholders and keep them in the loop.
3. The right guidance might give you the skill set to transform a challenge into an opportunity.
4. You should be able to fine-tune your crisis management plan for all future challenges. 
5. Moreover, you will be able to optimize the information flow and provide the key personnel with pertinent data.
6. Crisis management training and media training gives you an edge over your competitors. You will get the chance to rehearse and perfect your strategy in a safe environment before the crisis strikes.

Who is the right spokesperson for your company during a crisis?

Many organizations struggle to find the right spokesperson for this job. A high-stress situation calls for a person with the right skills, training, and an impressive designation. You cannot expect an outsider to know about the company policies or convince your audience about the implementation of a new disaster management strategy.

• What is the right skill?

The right skill needs kindling and sharpening. It is rarely in-born. Even the renowned CEOs of well-known corporations require intense camera-training to face a TV interview or a journalist. 

• What is the correct training?

Training for disaster mitigation involves extensive media training, social media management, seminar coaching, and conference skills. It helps you prepare for any disaster that might strike during the operations of your company.

• Who is in the right position?

It is a tricky question since PR skills do not depend upon designation. While some PR team member might be great at communicating with hundreds of live audience, the CEO of some other company might be great live interviews on TV. The skills come with training and not with the position.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to company crisis situations. Only through regular audits and compulsory training in crisis communications can an organization optimize its disaster response.