Best books on crisis communications and public relations

What are the best books for crisis communication and public relations professionals? I'll give you three titles to start you off: The Apology Impulse, Damage Control, and Crisis Proof. Each author gives a practical and insightful look at managing and preparing for potential crises. 

Who decides when it's time to say sorry?

The Apology Impulse: How the Business World Ruined Sorry and Why We Can’t Stop Saying It by Sean O'Meara and Cary Cooper is the best book for crisis communications and public relations professionals because it is highly timely and contains practical advice. In this book, O'Meara and Cooper share how to give meaningful apologies and know when to say sorry, or not say it at all. It is the perfect playbook for anyone, from social media executives to online influencers and CEOs. 

The best case studies are the ones you'll never hear about

The second book in this series is Damage Control: Why Everything You Know About Crisis Management Is Wrong by Eric Dezenhall and John Weber which gives a similar look at the same type of crisis communications planning for the inevitable events that can happen at any time. In this timely and engaging book, authors Dezenhall and Weber share powerful lessons, including the difference between a nuisance, a problem, and a crisis. Damage Control is a practical, quick read that provides real-world examples and explains how to survive a career-threatening situation. 

No one is born a crisis manager 

The third book in the series, Crisis Proof: How to prepare for the worst day of your business life, is a perfect book for those who don't know where to start planning for a crisis. Through this book, Jonathan Hemus offers a clear and concise guide to crisis communications and offers practical tips and guidelines on how to manage the fallout from a major crisis. Crisis Proof equips readers with the principles, framework, and practical tips to protect their organisation from harm and create a crisis-resistant workplace.

Do you need a crisis communications plan?

If you have never considered reading a book about crisis communications, now is a great time to do so. Any experienced communicator will tell you that the more they work on their skills, the more they excel at their profession. By learning about all of the different approaches to crisis communications and public relations, you will develop an understanding of the tactics you can deploy. With this information, you can begin to develop your own skills and can hone in on the approaches that are working best for you.

How to write an effective communications plan + template

While your crisis communication plan will differ depending on the situation you're dealing with, there are common strategies that you can put in place.

First, identify your crisis communication team and who the spokesperson is, so the rest of the organisation can keep operations running smoothly while the dedicated team can tackle the issue. Next, develop the systems that will monitor requests for information, social media inquiries, and stakeholder outreach. From there, develop holding statements and key messages. It's important to review the outcomes afterward and learn from the experience so dedicate time to conduct a formal analysis. Click here for a free crisis communications template. 

Want to learn more?

Find out when to plan a media release, how to evaluate campaigns, or if working with an influencer is right for you on PR Insights.