In a crisis, your audience’s sensitivities and fears are heightened. We will review important skills that draw on decades of research about how best to communicate in scenarios where fear and emotion dominate, and people are not thinking logically.
According to one survey, most people said that they would rather be hit by a truck than speak in front of a live audience. We will review techniques, and you will participate in a practice exercise designed to help calm your nerves and reduce anxiety.
We will review how the media has evolved over time and what you need to know about navigating online avenues and social media.
A crisis demands the highest level of communications skills. Mastering them means you’ll be better-prepared not just for a crisis, but also for your day-to-day communications demands — whether you’re conducting a news conference, crafting a message on social media, reaching out to policymakers or delivering a presentation to local officials.
We offer you our experience as both trainers and practitioners in real crises. We were integral to the nuclear industry’s response to the Three Mile Island and Fukushima nuclear plant accidents. We helped the aluminum industry successfully navigate a major crisis when they were threatened by a false link between aluminum products and Alzheimer’s disease. With zero notice, we were brought in for strategic advice when a company was caught up in the tragic death of dogs and cats from imported protein from China, and we have worked for trade associations dealing with internal crises. Together, we have about a century’s worth of experience in communications … and more to the point, crisis communications.
Please contact us to register for the next available half-day session at rmorris@smithharroff.com.
The cost is $495.00 per person with a limit of twelve people per session. Group rates are available for groups of more than six people.