Every organization is vulnerable to crises, from faulty products and data breaches to workplace incidents and egregious employee behavior. While many corporate leaders would like to believe it won’t happen to their company, the reality is not if a crisis will happen, but when. No brand or industry is immune. A crisis is a harsh climate in which to operate. A poorly handled crisis can have long-lasting implications that can severely impact an organization, culminating in potential reputational or financial loss.

While it’s practically impossible to prevent a crisis from occurring, there are steps organizations can take to mitigate the repercussions. Carefully selecting and training a company spokesperson to deliver the organization’s response messaging is essential to any crisis communications strategy. Crises limit the time window available to mount an effective response, and having a spokesperson training plan in advance can positively impact outcomes. 

Courtroom Sciences knows that the stakes are incredibly high during a crisis. Our crisis and litigation communications experts have the expertise to help prepare your company and its spokespeople with a responsive crisis communication plan, including policies and practices that protect and defend your company’s reputation.

What's most important when training someone to be a media spokesperson during a crisis?

Three essential tips for media spokesperson training include knowing your audience, identifying key messages, and taking the time to practice. 

Tip #1: Know Your Audience

One of the biggest mistakes that companies tend to make is failing to consider their audience. Crises are inherently stressful situations, and amid a crisis, even well-intentioned business leaders are susceptible to wanting to defend themselves or shift blame rather than considering their audience's perspectives. They may become defensive instead of focusing their messaging on the viewpoint of their audience. This is often perceived as self-serving, disingenuous, or misdirected.

When a crisis breaks, an organization needs to understand stakeholders' perspectives, display a genuine concern for their best interests, and communicate with the public on their terms. That may include using clear, audience-centered messaging and staying on message, even when handling tough questions. A company spokesperson can give your organization both a face and a voice, which helps build trust with your audience. 

Tip #2: Identify Key Messages

An organization’s initial crisis response often sets the tone and is the foundation for subsequent reporting and everything that follows. Shaping the narrative has become even more critical in a global 24/7 news and social media cycle. The public will look for facts, consistent updates, and reliable information. This can be challenging in a crisis where there’s intense pressure and spokespersons may be tempted to speculate, overstate or understate, place or accept “blame,” or make promises they can’t deliver.

A company spokesperson is responsible for providing timely, truthful, and accurate information. Your  crisis communications strategy should focus on developing the key messages and talking points that address the following areas:

● Clarify the organization’s core values

● Share the facts about the situation

● Display genuine concern for stakeholders

●  Share the organization’s steps to ensure similar incidents do not occur in the future

It is crucial to align messages with the litigation strategy. A crisis mitigation checklist prepares you with scientific, psychology-based messaging from communications experts. 

Tip #3: Take the Time to Practice 

Successfully dealing with a high-risk and high-profile crisis requires practice. Spokespersons must learn to show concern, diffuse negatives, and remain calm. Take the time to practice by asking your organization's spokesperson questions in a mock-style interview. Your spokesperson should practice talking points and messaging until they become comfortable speaking about the issue. You could even record these sessions and then play them back, helping to fine-tune messaging and body language.

During spokesperson training, Courtroom Sciences’ crisis and litigation communications experts help executives practice techniques for delivering the company’s messages with clarity, credibility, and repetition. Throughout the training process, spokespersons can practice the critical skills specific to their respective roles while receiving timely feedback from an observing expert and applying the advice they receive immediately. 

Demonstrating professionalism under pressure while still coming across as polite and engaged is imperative for an organization’s spokesperson. At Courtroom Sciences, we know that the ability to stay on message while conveying calm and control requires developing a highly responsive crisis communication plan. Our crisis and litigation communications experts can help protect your reputation and mitigate litigation risks before, during, and after a crisis. Speak with one of our critical communications experts to get started. 

Key Takeaways

●  Demonstrating professionalism under pressure while still coming across as polite and engaged is imperative for an organization’s spokesperson.

●  A company spokesperson is responsible for providing timely, truthful, and accurate information. 

●  Three essential tips for media spokesperson training include knowing your audience, identifying key messages, and taking the time to practice.

●  Courtroom Sciences' crisis and litigation communications experts can help protect your reputation and mitigate litigation risks before, during, and after a crisis.