Strategic crisis communications
Whether it's a social media attack, product recall or management scandal, in a world where opinions can be shared thousands of times in seconds and moods can change in real time, strategic crisis communications are decisive both for (re)building confidence and the ability to act. Being prepared enables you to respond calmly and confidently, even under exceptional circumstances.
Good crisis communications need to be established well before a crisis occurs. Many companies underestimate how much they can do in advance to act in a way that is both strategic and structured in an emergency. This is often achieved in close collaboration with an experienced crisis communications agency.
As an agency that also handles crisis communications, we help companies prepare for potential crises, plan their communication proactively, manage it in a targeted way, and take a clear stance both internally and externally.
Protecting image and reputation is at the heart of strategic crisis communications consulting. The aim is to identify impending damage at an early stage and take credible countermeasures. The goal is to maintain the confidence of customers, employees and the public or, at best, to strengthen it with the support of a crisis communications agency.
Your contact at the crisis communications agency
Rafael Rahn
Typical triggers – and why a crisis communications agency is so important
Crises can have many different causes. They all present companies with the same challenge: communicating in a way that is quick, credible and targeted in order to minimise damage to their image and restore trust. As a source of impetus, a crisis communications agency helps companies develop and deliver comprehensive communication strategies for different crisis situations.
The most common triggers can be divided into the following categories:
1. Financial/business and structural crises
These affect a company's operational or financial stability:
- Financial instability – If liquidity problems arise or there is a risk of insolvency, communication with investors, creditors and all affected parties needs to be managed effectively. Only by presenting the financial challenges and planned initiatives transparently can stakeholder confidence be maintained.
- Legal disputes – Legal problems, whether due to lawsuits, investigations, patent infringements or compliance incidents, necessitate a precise crisis communication strategy that keeps all affected parties informed about progress and the impact on business operations while minimising damage to the company's image.
- Economic risks – Currency crises, geopolitical upheavals, pandemics and political uncertainties all have an impact on business success. Forward-looking communication needs to provide transparent information about the impact on the business and the planned countermeasures.
The communication goal is to create transparency, demonstrate the ability to act and maintain stakeholder confidence.
2. Security incidents and emergencies
Such incidents pose an acute threat to people, infrastructure or business processes:
- Natural disasters – Earthquakes, floods, storms, forest fires and other disasters can have a significant impact on a company. The main task of crisis communications in such cases is to provide information about the consequences and the protective measures taken and to clearly communicate the extent to which accessibility, business processes or services are affected.
- Accidents and force majeure – When serious accidents occur at work, projects are halted by extreme weather conditions or material shortages cause delays, it is the task of crisis communications to provide guidance quickly. If people have been harmed, empathy, taking responsibility and caring for those affected are the highest priorities. In the event of failures due to force majeure, it is important to explain the impact on processes and supply chains, to manage expectations and to consider the legal and contractual framework in your communications.
- Security incidents – Threats such as break-ins, intruders or violence in the workplace demand clear, confidence-building communication to keep the workforce calm and ensure the safety of employees.
- Cyber-attacks & data breaches – From data encryption and phishing to system failures and data leaks: data theft and cyber-attacks are no longer a rarity. Here, smart, strategic crisis communication serves to inform customers and partners about the impact on operations and the measures taken to limit damage.
The communication goal is to provide calm, fact-based and empathetic information and avoid escalation.
3. Product and performance-related crises
Performance deficiencies and defective products are among the most common and sensitive triggers. This is especially true when they endanger human safety or violate legal requirements.
- Product risks and technical malfunctions – From official recalls to technical faults with potential hazards: when product defects become known, quick, transparent and solution-oriented communication is essential. The aim is to provide consumers, business partners and authorities with reliable information, avoid panic and actively protect the brand.
- Violation of regulatory requirements – If legal requirements such as approval conditions, safety standards or labelling requirements are violated, there are always legal consequences as well as damage to the company's image. What is needed at this point is communication that takes responsibility, clearly identifies mistakes, while credibly presenting perspectives and measures.
The communication goal is to maintain or regain confidence through clear information, visible solutions and professional handling of the situation.
4. Personnel and management crises
This type of crisis directly involves the people in the company, whether it be the entire workforce or individual management functions. Such events are often emotionally charged, attract media attention and have an impact on reputation. This makes it all the more important to have clear, empathetic and strategically thought-out communications, which can be designed and delivered with the help of a crisis communications agency.
- Layoffs and restructuring – Mass layoffs, plant closures or restructuring affect not only the workforce but also a company's public image. In these cases, good communication focuses on respecting those affected, transparently identifying the causes and providing guidance for customers, business partners and the media.
- Strikes and internal conflicts – When tensions between the workforce, works council and management become public, it is not usually by accident. The deliberate leaking of information is often used as a negotiating tactic to build pressure, strengthen positions and generate publicity. In such cases, fair, open and constructive communication helps avoid escalation and create confidence.
- Discrimination, harassment, misconduct – Whether discrimination, compliance violations or abuse of power: allegations against individual employees or managers quickly attract public attention. In such cases, it is important to provide credible explanations, take a clear stance and make internal processes transparent without overstepping legal boundaries.
The communication goal is to create clarity, show empathy, and communicate with respect and a clear sense of responsibility towards those affected, the public, and your own corporate values in order to regain credibility and strengthen social cohesion.
The 4 phases of crisis communication
Crises rarely follow a linear path, but they do follow typical patterns. Strategic crisis communication, as we understand it as a crisis communication agency, is based on four key phases, each of which requires different priorities, decisions and channels.
1. Preliminary phase – prevention and preparation
How well a company can deal with a crisis is decided long before the crisis occurs. The basic factors for good crisis prevention are a strong awareness of risk, a clear allocation of responsibilities and precise training.
What matters:
- Comprehensive vulnerability analysis and scenario planning
- Setting up a resilient crisis team and functioning crisis infrastructures
- Defining roles, reporting channels, core messages and Q&As
- Regular crisis training and simulations
2. Acute phase – The moment of crisis
Once the crisis has occurred, it takes only a few hours to determine whether the company will remain capable of acting. Clear, fast and coordinated communication is now required, both internally and externally.
What matters:
- Immediate activation of the crisis management team
- Rapid assessment of the situation
- Prioritisation of target groups
- Provision of valid information via appropriate channels
- Public presence through defined spokespersons
3. Management phase – processing & stabilisation
Once the initial measures have taken effect, the actual management phase begins: communication lines are sharpened, questions and answers are specified, and dialogue channels are opened. This phase is all about control, correction and consistency.
What matters:
- Continuous information about progress made and measures taken
- Ongoing monitoring of media coverage and the social media situation
- Correction of false information
- Proactive communication with the various stakeholder groups
4. Post-crisis phase – reflection & repositioning
Once the operational crisis has been overcome, the strategic follow-up work begins. Now it becomes clear how seriously a company takes its responsibility and whether it has learned from the experience.
What matters:
- Official closing statement and thanks to all relevant groups
- Internal ‘lessons learned’ sessions
- Revision/adjustment of the crisis plan
- Active reputation measures
Crises cannot be planned, but they can be communicated. Those who are familiar with the typical phases can actively manage communication. It is not only what is communicated that is important, but also when, how and by whom. Setting the right tone often requires professional advice from a PR agency specialising in crisis communications.
As a crisis communications agency, we support our clients in every phase: from risk analysis and crisis preparedness to training, simulations and real-time communication, as well as reputation management after the crisis.
When every message counts:
Quick response and
direct relevance
Crisis communication thrives on the clarity of the message and the consistency of its delivery.
In the acute phase, when quick response, accessibility and maximum control over the message are key, three channels are especially important:
- Company website & crisis microsite
As a central location for facts, Q&As and ongoing updates. Professionally maintained, constantly updated, visible and authoritative.
- Social media & messenger channels
Social media platforms and channels such as LinkedIn, X or Instagram relentlessly reflect public sentiment while providing a mouthpiece for clarification, dialogue and tact.
- Crisis hotlines & personal contacts
In highly sensitive cases, real people are needed to convey the messages. This is about de-escalation, building trust and goodwill.
Stakeholders need more than headlines
The most important stakeholders should never be addressed with sweeping, umbrella communications. Internal solidarity and external stability can only be achieved through targeted, individual communication and tools tailored specifically to the target group.
- Emails, newsletters & direct messaging
For customers, partners and employees: Fact-based, direct information, straightforward and without gatekeepers.
- Internal communications & management briefings
Employees are just as important as multipliers as they are as a critical mass. Intranets, town hall meetings and digital briefings help anchor attitudes and clarity among the workforce.
- Press briefings & personal media interviews
Certainty can never be achieved through distance. Personal briefings and targeted background discussions enable genuine assessment and promote a differentiated image in the public perception.
Control & quality assurance
Effective crisis communications never rely on gut feeling. They are based on observation, structure and professional support:
- Monitoring & media analysis
Real-time evaluation of media, social listening and internal response allows dynamics to be identified early on and enables countermeasures to be finetuned.
- Crisis teams & communication plans
Ensuring effective functioning in an emergency requires the creation of appropriate structures in advance. Roles and processes need to be tested and everything clearly documented.
- External crisis communications consulting & crisis coaching
Methodical leadership, critical sparring and a neutral outside perspective are far from a luxury. They guarantee that communication does not degenerate into empty rhetoric.
Using the right tools at the right time isn't a matter of skill, but a management decision where a crisis communications agency can offer valuable support.
Your crisis communications agency: A reliable partner in times of crisis
Strategic crisis communications consulting is more than just a set of tools – it also requires the right mindset, strategic thinking and operational excellence. If you want to communicate credibly in exceptional situations, you need a crisis communications agency as your partner that can effectively conveys content while generating impact.
As a specialised crisis communications agency, we support companies in all phases of crisis management. From forward-looking analysis and the development of strategic options for action to precise implementation across all relevant channels. Internally and externally. Digitally and analogously. As a crisis communications agency, we think holistically.
A crisis reveals not only what communication is capable of, but also who can manage it strategically.
Our maxim as a crisis communications agency is always to convey a clear stance, make responsibility visible and regain trust through effective communications.
Your contact at the crisis communications agency
Rafael Rahn