Crisis Communication Plan Template (Free, Editable)
This template provides a complete crisis communication plan structure that your organization can deploy immediately. It covers the four components that determine whether crisis communication succeeds or fails: who speaks, what they say, to which audience, and through which channel.
Most organizations do not have a crisis communication plan until after their first crisis, at which point they wish they had started earlier. This template eliminates the blank page problem by providing a proven structure you can customize in an afternoon.
Common Questions About Crisis Communication Plan Template (Free, Editable)
How long does it take to complete this template?
An initial pass takes 2 to 3 hours: 30 minutes for the severity definitions, 30 minutes for the team roster, 60 minutes for the holding statements (with legal review), and 30 minutes for the channel matrix. A tabletop exercise to test it adds another 60 to 90 minutes. Total: one afternoon to go from no plan to a tested one.
Who should own the crisis communication plan?
The communications lead or head of operations typically owns the document. The executive sponsor (usually the CEO or COO) approves the plan and its updates. The incident commander (often a VP of Engineering for technical crises or VP of Operations for business crises) leads the response team during actual events. All three roles must be named before the plan is useful.