We have all been reminded recently of the importance of proofing and having a crisis communications plan in place. Within the past month, even week, there have been embarrassing uses of profanity that have slipped past multiple editors’ and proofers’ eyes and made its way into the mainstream media for all of America to see and hear. We have also been rocked by scandals from some of our once most respected institutions.
Here is my advice: be prepared.
Each and every one of these incidents reminds me of the importance of 1) having multiple people review things before they are submitted and 2) preparing for a crisis ahead of time so you know what to do should a crisis occur.
Hire or use professional proofers. They are invaluable. You need someone who is removed from a project as a set of “fresh eyes” to review the final product. Those proofers need to feel like every document is vital to the company’s success. Bored proofers are bad proofers.
As for crisis communications plans, it’s not enough just to have one in place. You need to practice and plan for a crisis so if one occurs you know what to do. Almost all of the major crises that have taken place over the years are made worse due to a lack of preparation. Imagine a sports team trying to compete without ever having practiced. What do you think the outcome would be? And yet many of us are surprised when companies or institutions falter even further when they are faced with a crisis. The crisis itself may not be avoidable, but letting it get out of control is.
Are you prepared?