Overview
There is a saying – if it can go wrong, it will go wrong. And all organisations, no matter how large or small, can be hit by bad publicity. It might be sudden, an accident or attack; a problem that won’t go away, or the poor handling of an emergency. It might be your fault, or it might not. Whatever the cause, how you deal with a crisis can make or break an organisation.
This workshop will help you know how to prepare for the worst, but also help you stop an issue becoming a crisis. It will consider good and bad practice with reference to past and current examples.
Objectives:
- Considering risks and defining an issue and a crisis
- Stakeholder management
- Dealing with the media
- The need for speed and accuracy of your response
- When to speak to the media and how to do it
- Bringing it all together in a crisis communication plan
Training outcomes:
- Understand the need to plan for a crisis, including the preparation of a crisis communications plan
- Review how and why the media (both on and offline) react to negative stories
- Identify key stakeholders, create appropriate messages, and recognise which media channels to use – and how and when to use them
- Identify the need for speed, accuracy and co-ordination while responding both online and offline
- Gain the skills and confidence in managing communications during a crisis
What Our Delegates Say
Kate is an experienced pro. You will learn loads in this course and be ready (as you can be) for when the next crisis hits.
Environment Agency
Advisor
A thoroughly engaging, informative and thought provoking session led by Kate, a true expert in her field who helps to make the course come to life with real-life case studies to discuss and analyse underpinned by great depth and theory.
South Hampshire College Group
Communications & PR Officer
The Crisis Comms training with Kate Betts was a worthwhile session exploring how to deal with crises confidently and effectively. The small group size facilitates meaningful discussions and Kate’s experience and real-world examples really helped bring the course to life. The advice and good practice shared will be invaluable to our team.
Norse Group
Communications Manager
The sessions was incredibly insightful and has provided me with important info that I’ll use in our comms plans going forward
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Communications and Marketing Officer
I would highly recommend this course and this trainer to anyone due to the vast experience the trainer has and therefore can draw on her experience giving lots of real life examples and advice.
Tayside Contracts
Equalities & Communications Manager
Kate was excellent presenting this course, really helpful mix of how the points were explained. This is a really useful course and not just for those working in communications.
Scottish fire and rescue service
Solicitor
Agenda
9:30
Registration and GovPD Welcome Address
9:45
Defining an Issue and a Crisis
- Determine the purpose of the document
- Consider the target audience and what you want them to think, feel or do
- Agree the message that will make your point and engage with your audience
10:30
Stakeholder Management
- Who are the stakeholders?
- How do you communicate with the audience?
- What channels do you use?
11:00
Break
11:15
Dealing with the Media
- How and why the media (online, social media and offline) responds to a crisis
- How you should respond – online and offline, including on social media
- Exercise – writing a holding statement / initial response
12:30
Lunch
13:15
Perception Versus Reality in a Crisis
- How do you respond when the publicity doesn’t feel fair?
- How do you balance internal and external communications?
13:30
The Need for Speed and Accuracy of your Response
- How quickly do you need to react?
- How should you react?
- What information do you need?
- How often do you need to update your communications?
14:15
Break
14:30
When to Speak to the Media and How to do it
- How to engage with the media
- Do you need to speak? Is it really a crisis?
- Who should speak?
- Where and when should you speak?
15:15
Bringing it all Together in a Crisis Communication Plan
- The elements of a crisis communications plan – including potential threats, audiences, channels, messages, roles and responsibilities
- The vital appendices to a crisis communications plan – including contact details and log ons
- Testing and updating the plan – how and when
- When to implement the plan
15:30
Trainer’s Summary and Close
*Programme subject to change
Who should attend?
This course is designed for professionals who may be responsible for managing communications, reputation or stakeholder engagement during challenging situations or organisational crises. It is particularly suitable for:
- Communications, public relations and media professionals
- Senior managers and organisational leaders responsible for reputation management
- Press officers and spokespersons who may engage with the media during incidents or emergencies
- Emergency planning, resilience and business continuity professionals
- Public sector, NHS and local authority staff involved in crisis response or stakeholder communications
- HR, customer service and operational managers handling sensitive or high-profile issues
- Social media and digital communications professionals responsible for online responses during incidents
- Anyone involved in developing, reviewing or implementing crisis communication plans
The course is valuable for both experienced communications professionals looking to strengthen their crisis management approach and those newer to crisis communications who want practical tools, techniques and confidence to respond effectively under pressure.
Course Instructor
Kate Betts
Course Instructor
Kate is a former journalist, who now specialises in crisis media management. She is an associate trainer at the Cabinet Office Emergency Planning College and for the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. Her journalistic experience includes working in newspapers, for the BBC and for commercial television. Kate is a BBC-trained video-journalist and has made features for BBC Radio 4. She has also taught print and broadcast journalism at the University of Sheffield and is the director of an award-winning PR agency.
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