Making the most of a bad situation…

As many of you noticed, b5 media blogs, including this one, were down for an extended period last week.

It was a horrible time for everyone on the channels.  But now that the crisis is over, we can all chalk this up tor a learning experience.

Like any crisis (even as minor as a server acting up), there’s one thing I think every company, no matter how big or small, should do: have a plan to communicate what’s going on.

When things go wrong – and they sometimes do, knowing exactly how communications are going to be disseminated is extremely important.

The basics of the plan should include:

• Identify steps to gather information about the situation – make sure you know the pertinent facts
  

• Appoint a Crisis Team – these individuals will be responsible for handling the crisis itself.
  

• Appoint a spokesperson – this person will typically serve as the point of contact between your Crisis Team and the media
  

• Identify your key audiences – your customers, employees, vendors, and the media

Many small business owners think that crises only happen to big companies. But since small businesses often rely on a small number of customers or clients, the loss of even a few can hurt a business.