How do you write a clear crisis message for the media?

1 Define your audience

Before you write anything, you need to know who you are writing for. Who are the media outlets that will cover your crisis? What are their expectations, interests, and needs? How do they prefer to receive information? How will they use your message in their stories? Knowing your audience will help you tailor your message to their style, tone, and format.

2 Follow the 3 Cs

A clear crisis message should follow the 3 Cs: clear, concise, and consistent. Clear means that your message is easy to understand, accurate, and relevant. Concise means that your message is short, simple, and focused. Consistent means that your message is aligned with your core values, mission, and goals. Avoid jargon, ambiguity, and contradictions in your message.

3 Use the inverted pyramid

The inverted pyramid is a common structure for writing news stories. It means that you start with the most important information and then provide more details as you go. This way, you can capture the attention of the media and the public, and ensure that they get the key facts first. The inverted pyramid also helps you organize your message logically and prioritize your points.

4 Answer the 5 Ws and H

The 5 Ws and H are the basic questions that any news story should answer: who, what, when, where, why, and how. By answering these questions in your crisis message, you can provide the essential information that the media and the public need to know. You can also anticipate and address some of the questions that they might have. Be honest, factual, and transparent in your answers.

5 Express empathy and action

A clear crisis message should not only inform, but also reassure and persuade. You need to express empathy and compassion for those affected by the crisis, and show that you care about their well-being. You also need to demonstrate that you are taking action to resolve the situation, and that you have a plan and a vision for the future. You can also highlight the positive steps that you have taken or the support that you have received.

6 Review and revise

Before you send your crisis message to the media, you need to review and revise it carefully. You need to check for accuracy, clarity, consistency, and tone. You need to avoid errors, omissions, or misstatements that could damage your credibility or worsen the crisis. You also need to get feedback from others who can offer a different perspective or expertise. You can also test your message with a small sample of your audience and see how they respond.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?