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Communications Best Practices

Equip Summit 2024

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Brief Introduction & Overview

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CLYDE

Sasha Lundquist

What is a crisis?

Preparation is key

Do’s and Don’ts

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“Losing your head in a crisis is a good way to become the crisis.” -C.J. Redwine

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What is a crisis?

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Prior to committing to any course of action, the level, scale, and severity of an incident’s impact must first be defined.

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Questions to ask yourself

What is a crisis?

What is the situation at hand? �
What are the perceived risks? �
Who is impacted or affected? �
What resources are available? �
What are the short-term goals? �
What are the long-term goals?

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Evaluate

What is a crisis?

Incident

A situation that occurs on a small scale and may result in a slight disruption of business. This might change a minor aspect of your operation and can be quickly resolved with quick action.

Crisis

A crisis is a larger, more unusual occurrence that has the potential to threaten operations, safety, reputation, or other aspects of your community or organization. It’s much bigger, more serious, and may come with a longer response timeline.

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Preparation is key

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Crisis scenario categorization

Safety & Security

Reputational

Operational

Active shooter situation
Power outage
Credible threat against you, staff, volunteers, or physical location
Violent protest
Employee or volunteer doxxing

Legal challenge (brought by you or against you)
Leadership or staff impropriety
Data breach or hack
Inaccurate, accusatory media coverage
Coordinated mis/disinformation attack

Power outage at local polling location
Extreme weather
Data breach or hack
Legal challenge (brought by you or against you)
Leadership or staff impropriety

Prior to any course of action, determining which category the issue fits within will help shape the overall response. Some scenarios may span two or even all three of these categories due to the level of impact.

Preparation is key

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Your goals in any scenario

Preparation is key

Key objectives to keep in mind:

Maintain your ability to operate and function
Mitigate negative coverage, perception, or spread of mis/disinformation
Offer proactive communication and messaging according to available facts
Shorten the lifespan of crisis-related coverage
Limit long-term legal, reputational, or financial liability
Protect your staff and community members
Preserve trust and transparency in your organization

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It’s helpful to have established protocols in place for responding to incoming media inquiries.

This allows you to control the narrative, ensure you are acting in a timely manner, and get ahead of any negative coverage.

This also helps to protect staff and volunteers from unwanted media attention which can lead to mis/disinformation, threats, violence, and more.

A sample media policy can be found here.

Have a media policy

Preparation is key

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Do’s and don’ts

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Tips and tricks

Do’s and don’ts

The Do’s

Be as transparent as possible -- it’ll help you in the short and long run.
Take your time to prepare remarks or rehearse talking points. You’ll sound ready, authoritative, and polished.
Have a local, statewide, and national media list that you can reach out to if need be.

Pro tip: Have it broken down into TV, print, and radio!

Ensure your staff is just as prepared and ready as you are.

The Don’ts

Wishing something will go away, or simply ignoring it, won’t help.
Just because a social media post or article might be negative, doesn’t mean it always warrants a response.
Don’t restate the negative or the issue/crisis in your media response.
Move on quickly, but don’t forget to do an after action review of the issue and how it was handled.

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Questions to ask yourself

Do’s and don’ts

If you decide to publicly respond, ask yourself:

Who needs to hear from me at this moment?
Who are the best messengers for this outreach?
What do my various audiences need to know? What do they need to do?
What is the proper tone/voice in this moment?
What is the best way to get the message to these audiences?
When is it most advisable to reach out?

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Messaging During Contentious Times*

Do’s and don’ts

The Do’s

Show that your community is overwhelmingly committed to ensuring free, fair, safe, and accessible elections.
Highlight the actions your community is taking.
Emphasize individuals’ agency in taking meaningful and nonviolent democratic action.
Where tensions, misinformation, and violence do emerge, consult with targeted communities to learn their needs and preferences for public statements before acting.
Speak factually when referring to tensions and/or threats – do not over- or downplay.
Align your messaging based on your 501(c)(3) status.

The Don’ts

Don’t speak about violence without condemning it and highlighting responses.
Don’t use vague or speculative language.
Don’t use language that activates fear or anxiety, such as war and natural disaster metaphors. (e.g., “protestors flooded the streets,” or “violence erupted”)
Don’t dehumanize political opponents.
Don’t reference entire groups of people when discussing individual actions/viewpoints.
Don’t repeat misinformation or rumors.
Don’t conflate pro-democracy stances and priorities with other policy issues and priorities.

*These are inspired by Project Over Zero’s “Communicating During Contentious Times” resource.

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Reminders for working with the media

Do’s and don’ts

The media is not your enemy; don’t run from them. Use them to get your message out.
Know that you have power - you are not powerless. You can say “no” to reporters. Ask questions and push back. E.g.

Is this outlet relevant to you, your industry, your stakeholders, or to the general public conversation?
What is the crux or essence of the story they are trying to write?
If broadcast or radio, is the interview live or pre-recorded?

Establish ground rules and agree upon the type of interview

On the record
Off the record
On background

You don’t need to answer every question you’re asked. Answer the question you want and that aligns with your talking points.

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An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

1152 15TH STREET NW, SUITE 750

WASHINGTON, DC 20005

Sasha Lundquist

sasha.lundquist@clyde.us

239.248.3409

@ClydeGroup

@clyde_us

CLYDE