Course Description

The Internet—and, more recently, social media—have added new dimensions to the age-old practice of crisis communication. Media cycles have vanished, events are reported on Twitter before the mainstream media ever says a word, and reputations hang in the balance. Surprisingly few organizations have modified their crisis communication plans to account for the changes wrought by the Net; even more surprising is the number of organizations with no crisis plans at all.

In this full-day workshop, leading online communicator Shel Holtz will explore the various elements of crises online and how organizations can be ready to meet the multiple challenges that can arise. He'll explain how social media can be a powerful way to immediately engage with people during a crisis, quickly spread important information on a mass scale, and create online communities of people who can help each other and identify additional resources.

What You'll Learn

• The importance of symbols in a crisis
• The various kinds of crises and how they will shape your response
• The role of employees during a crisis
• How to prepare your website to be crisis–ready