Trust is the foundation of business success, especially in times of uncertainty. On today’s episode of The Small Business Show, recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO-100 Honoree and Kane Communications Group CEO Kimberly Kane explains why preparedness, brand clarity and executive ownership strengthen organizations during challenging times.
The key differentiator between businesses that successfully navigate crises and those that struggle is preparedness. Companies that understand their mission, values, and purpose are far better equipped to respond effectively when issues arise.
Front-end preparation includes clear key messages, comprehensive crisis communication plans and leadership training on plan execution. Without these critical aspects in place, businesses are more likely to experience financial losses, reputational damage and operational disruption.
Organizations that take the time to prepare often emerge from crises with fewer financial and reputational setbacks. Proactive communication also plays a crucial role in maintaining trust-based relationships with both employees, business partners and customers.
Common indicators of eroding internal trust include rapid employee turnover, declining workforce productivity, challenges in deploying new products or services, and decreasing sales. These warning signs often point to deeper issues tied to culture, leadership, and communication.
"When you live your brand consistently, you earn a reputation. When you don't live your brand consistently, you'll earn a reputation— but it may not be the one that you want."
According to Kane, the starting point for effective crisis management is defining the brand. This extends far beyond marketing elements like logos or taglines. A brand represents an organization’s missions, values and what it truly stands for. When companies invest the time to clarify this foundation, they gain the strength to operate with consistency and confidence. By living their brand authentically, organizations earn credibility and build a positive reputation with the public.
Responding to a crisis is nuanced and delicate, and missteps can lead to severe consequences. Kane advises business leaders to enlist external experts who can help develop strong crisis communications plans. Having these plans ready to deploy allows leadership teams to focus their energy on understanding and addressing the situation at hand rather than scrambling to respond.
The executive leadership team and the board of directors should own crisis communications. Department heads, vice presidents and supervisors may be involved in operational response planning and trained to appropriately cascade messages throughout the organization. Prepared leadership enables faster, clearer, and more accurate responses during unexpected events.
Media readiness is another critical component. A delayed or poorly executed response can quickly erode trust among customers, stakeholders and the public. In contrast, proactive and thoughtful communication helps reinforce credibility. Media training and role-playing exercises prepare leaders for high-pressure scenarios, allowing them to anticipate difficult questions and respond in alignment with their brand values. A single misstep can magnify a crisis and cause lasting reputational harm.
Ultimately, preparedness serves as protection. By investing in crisis communications planning, training and readiness, business owners can mitigate risk and safeguard their organization’s long-term value.
ASBN, from startup to success, we are your go-to resource for small business news, expert advice, information, and event coverage.
