Part Two of the Emergency Information Officer training session at CEMA in March 2015. Focus on social convergence and its impact on crisis/incident communications.
1. Social Convergence andSocial Convergence and
Incident CommunicationsIncident Communications
CEMA
March 2015
Patrice Cloutier
2. Today’s presentationToday’s presentation
1. Introduction
2. Characteristics of a crisis
3. Social Convergence explained
4. How it affects crisis communications
5. How to be ready
6. Conclusion
3. It's likely you, and your audiences,It's likely you, and your audiences,
will be under stress!will be under stress!
What’s a crisis?
◦ Surprise (not always)
◦ Public scrutiny
◦ Media coverage
◦ Not routine
◦ Loss of control
6. It's not only about social mediaIt's not only about social media
7. Instantaneous sharingInstantaneous sharing
Key information channels ...family/friends
People create their own alerting/news networks
Share perceptions … shape public opinion
Reinforces age-old behaviours …
Everyone is a reporter …
21. Finally ...Finally ...
We are in an era of message
competition ...not control …
Move at the speed of your audiences
or be irrelevant …
Use the tools they use or you won't be
heard …
Editor's Notes
Here’s a brief overview of what we’ll cover today …
Don’t hesitate to interrupt me !
Forget the normal way you do things …
Can’t think the same way or say things the same way …
Because your audience WILL NOT think the same way they normally do !
No more news cycle ...news cycle is every 30 seconds now
Your reputation is at risk … all the time ..
Rumour management is key
A four-part equation
It's not just about social media
Key is the empowerment factor … the other side of the equation … particularly for emergency management
Most important commodity for EM manager, CEO = up-to-the-minute info = better decision-making = better allocation of strategic resources
Mobile is changing everything ...how we consume info ...how we share things …
Is your website mobile-friendly and able to help you convey your messages in a crisis ?
authorities criticized for waiting hours to respond to incidents … pressure is increasing: US Airways took heat for waiting for 13 minutes to put out information …
Can you do better ?
Linear process … replaced by diffuse info sharing process
You don't have hours to craft the perfect news release
We are no longer in era of message CONTROL… we are in an era of message COMPETITION
If everyone is a reporter … then anyone working for you … from the nurse in triage … the security guard at the ER entrance … or the resident in palliative care … they all speak for you
Basic training might be required …
Times have changed
Old ways of doing things have gone out the window
Four imperatives … all at once … at the same time …
Time is a luxury you can no longer afford in a crisis …
When reputations are made … threatened or destroyed in minutes … waiting hours to issue a news release as a response ...is reputational suicide
People expect to know … when you know …
Transparency is now at the heart of effective crisis management/comms
2 things to remember:
Move at speed of social media or be irrelevant
Use mobile channels to even have a chance to be heard
Respond … in new environment
Constant scrutiny and diverging opinions
Plans that enable quick response
Crisis comms plan focused on social networks … NOT legacy media
Those 5 reasons … apply for emergency management or public health emergency purposes
But also valid for crisis comms
Our audiences want to know as soon as possible when something's going on
They also expect to be kept informed
Maintaining that dialogue is key factor is remaining a trusted source of info
Is social convergence the panacea of crisis comms ?
No, but these challenges can be overcome
Validation platforms/techniques
Don't need to think hard to convince CEOs
Empower staff … capitalize on their interests = NYC DOHMH example
Info = most valuable commodity in a crisis/emergency
Why go through an intermediary ?
Allows you to hear directly from your audiences and come up with on-target messaging
Don't get hung up on social platforms … concentrate on what social convergence allows instead …
There's always a new kid on the block .. a new social network/app …
Keep track of developments
… more people at the table during a crisis now …
Organizations that listen … deal with emergencies/crises better
They are more responsive to the needs of their audiences/clients/stakeholders