Do you have a crisis communication plan?

Some people say that all publicity is good publicity. While there may be a certain rationale behind that statement, I'm sure that many small business owners would take issue with it. In the food industry there have been some notable cases of negative publicity and it's hard to imagine that it resulted in increased business for the companies involved.

Whether it's severed fingers in chili, e. coli bacteria in salad bars, Alar on apples or mad cow disease, this is not the type of media coverage food businesses would prefer.

As a food producer, you do all that you can in growing and handling your products to ensure that they are safe and wholesome. You take steps to ensure worker safety and if you are also a food retailer, you ensure that your premises are safe for customers to visit. While these things may be required by law, you also recognize that it's the right thing to do.

But the reality is that bad things, often beyond your control, can happen and it's best to be prepared for how you will respond. How you respond can affect your business' image and ultimately affect your bottom line. That's why a crisis communications plan should be part of your overall marketing plan.

What is a crisis communication plan? It's the process of putting into writing exactly what you will do if a crisis situation arises and how you will deal with the news media and the public. It involves designating a spokesperson, developing key messages, preparing for tough questions, and keeping track of media contacts. Once you have a plan in writing, you make sure that all your employees are familiar with it and review it regularly.

With any luck, developing a crisis communication plan will be a complete waste of time. It may be the one thing you will do for your business that you hope you will never use. But the ramifications of not having one if you do need it are far worse than the time wasted if you never do.

So what kind of crises should you plan for? A crisis can be any situation that threatens the your business' integrity. Such situations often involve negative media attention. These can be situations like legal disputes, illnesses, crimes, accidents or controversies that are related to, caused by, or that affect your business or industry.

Examples can include someone getting sick after eating a product you sold to them, a dispute with your neighbors, an environmental problem on your farm, or an employee being injured on the job.

Since some crisis situations could have legal implications, your lawyer will probably be wary about you saying anything that would imply fault. It is good public relations, however, to acknowledge that a problem exists and explain what you are doing to correct it. And, if someone is injured or upset you'll certainly want to express sincere concern for the person and their family.

Sometimes the crisis might not be confined to your business alone. For example, when a drought strikes the region, the media may want to interview you about crop losses and get pictures of crops withering in the field.

How you respond in that type of crisis can have a direct effect not only on your business but also on other farms in the area. In the case of a drought, usually local produce is still available even if yields are down. Painting a picture of doom to a reporter can cause customers to stay away from all farms in the area, thinking that there is no produce.

Instead, you can acknowledge that the weather is less than ideal but point out that weather challenges are part of farming and farmers do what they can to make sure that local products are available in season. Invite the reporter to come out with a photographer to see the crops that are doing well despite the drought. You might just help kill the drought story in the process.

That's not to say that you should ever, ever lie to a reporter. That would only make a crisis situation worse. But it is a good idea to have a plan that includes accentuating the positive (as the song goes) to keep negative publicity from undoing all your good marketing efforts.

Copyright 2005 by Diane Baedeker Petit. This article originally appeared in the September 2005 issue of Growing Magazine.