Crisis Communication: Be Prepared!

Online registration for this event is closed. Please join us at the event - registration will be available on-site.

Social media brand threats, sexual harassment in the work place, natural disasters, gun violence, racial conflicts, data breaches, high profile lawsuits. Unfortunately, it’s not a matter of whether your business will face a crisis situation, but when. Look no further than companies like Starbucks, Wells Fargo or Facebook to see the impact crisis situations can have on brand loyalty, financial health and capacity to operate.

Preparing for a crisis situation before it happens is the best way to ensure your organization has the ability to protect itself during a real-time crisis.

This session will provide you with a better understanding of how to develop a crisis communications plan and to assemble the tools and team you will need to manage communications surrounding a crisis.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify potential crisis scenarios that could affect your business;
• Assess your company’s current communications capacity to withstand a crisis;
• Identify the individuals to form your crisis communications team;
• Map out key target audiences (including media) and the most effective channels for communicating
• Develop communication protocols to ensure a crisis situation is not compounded further

Case Study Activity:

Help our presenters customize the activity in the second part of this session by responding to the registration questions as it relates to your experience with crisis situations.

ABOUT OUR PRESENTERS

Kennan Wood, President and Lynn Wood, Vice President

Wood Communications Group

Kennan Wood has over 25 years of experience as an executive strategist in public affairs, public relations, crisis management, community relations, issue management, media relations and community impact.

Lynn Wood has provided strategic communications counsel, research and community relations expertise to clients including: Miller Brewing Company, CUNA Mutual Group, The Department of Public Instruction, Madison Gas & Electric and Destination Madison, among others. Ms. Wood is the director of Leadership Greater Madison and Leadership Greater Madison-Youth, two prestigious civic leadership training programs run in partnership with the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce.