Course Description
In this Strategic Communication During a Crisis course, you’ll learn how to guide your message and tone when your business is under pressure. Whether you’re speaking to employees, customers, or the media, your response shapes how people react—and how much they trust you.
You’ll explore how to craft clear first messages that explain what happened, offer next steps, and help people stay calm. You’ll learn how to adjust your tone for each audience, whether they need reassurance, direction, or transparency. You’ll also learn how to lead media briefings and respond to tough questions while managing updates across platforms.
This course combines real-world case studies and practical examples to show what builds trust and what damages it. You’ll walk through sample scenarios, explore message formats, and learn to use tools that track public response. By the end, you’ll know how to deliver steady, honest communication that keeps your business grounded, even in a fast-moving crisis.
What You'll Learn
- Craft clear, honest, and timely crisis response messages that explain what happened and offer next steps
- Adjust tone and delivery to fit different audiences, whether they need reassurance, direction, or transparency
- Plan and manage internal and external communication strategies during a crisis
- Lead press briefings and handle tough media questions with confidence
- Monitor public response and refine messages as the situation evolves
Key Takeaways
- How a business responds under pressure shapes how people react and how much they trust it.
- Clear first messages should explain what happened, offer next steps, and help people stay calm.
- Tone and delivery should be adjusted for each audience, including employees, customers, and the media.
- Tools that track public response help you monitor reactions and refine messages as needed.
- Steady, honest communication keeps a business grounded even in a fast-moving crisis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this course for?
It is for anyone who communicates on behalf of a business under pressure, including those speaking to employees, customers, or the media during a crisis.
What does the course cover?
It covers crafting clear crisis response messages, adjusting tone for different audiences, planning internal and external communication strategies, leading media briefings and handling tough questions, and monitoring public response to refine messages.
How is the course taught?
It combines real-world case studies and practical examples, walking you through sample scenarios, message formats, and tools that track public response to show what builds trust and what damages it.
What skills will I gain?
You will build skills in crisis communications, mass communication, and identifying and addressing your target audience.
What lessons are included?
Lessons include an Introduction, Crafting Effective Crisis Messages, a Test Your Knowledge check, Strategic Crisis Messaging: Internal & External Communication, and Managing Media Relations and Press Briefings.
Professional Certifications and Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Professional Development Credits (PDCs): 0.5
KnowledgeCity is approved by SHRM as a Recertification General Provider to offer SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP professional development credits (PDCs). By taking the courses approved by SHRM, KnowledgeCity can award SHRM Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for HR knowledge and competency programs related to the SHRM Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge™ (the SHRM BASK™).
