Jessica Sharp 
Every organization should have more than one spokesperson who is prepped and ready to go in the event of a crisis.
Identifying more than one spokesperson allows an organization to put forth the most appropriate person for the situation and ensures that someone will be available, even on short notice. Identified spokespersons should have the skills, training, knowledge, and appropriate level within the organization.
Here are some factors to consider when selecting your spokesperson:
Skill Set:
- Comfortable speaking in front of a camera or in front of larger audiences
- Presents calmly and confidently and does not get angry or flustered by questions
- Must be able to stick to talking points, even if the interviewer asks tricky or off-topic questions
- Knows when to stop talking
- Comfortable posting on social media and understands when or when not to engage
Training:
- Has formal media training from a public relations consultant
- Comfortable answering difficult or complicated questions
- Able to navigate an aggressive interviewer and steer answers back to appropriate talking points
Knowledge:
- Has subject matter expertise relevant to the current situation
- Is able to understand how the current situation affects various audiences
- Is clear and can articulate the next steps the organization plans to take
Appropriate level within the organization:
- The highest-level person in the organization that makes sense for the particular situation
- Someone who is well respected by the audience to whom they are speaking
Identifying and prepping spokespersons is just one step in the crisis preparation process. Thank you for reading our insight on who your spokesperson should be in a crisis situation. To learn more about Maven’s crisis communications services, click here.
Posted In Crisis Communications