A product recall, a data breach, an accident at a facility, a post that goes viral for the wrong reasons: every organization eventually faces a crisis. What decides the damage is rarely the event itself, but how the organization communicates in the first hours. The story that forms on the first day is the one people remember. This guide sets out what to do, hour by hour, during the first 24 hours.
Why the first hours matter so much
When information is missing, people fill the gap themselves. If you stay silent, journalists, social media users and even your own employees will tell the story for you, and their version will be built on rumor. Speaking early does not mean knowing everything; it means showing that you are aware, that you are taking it seriously and that more information will follow.
Hour 0 to 1: establish the facts and assemble the team
- Verify what happened. Separate what you know for certain from what is still unconfirmed. Write it down; this becomes the single source of truth for everyone.
- Convene the crisis team. Keep it small: senior management, communication, legal and the operational lead closest to the issue. Decide who makes final decisions.
- Assess the risk. Is anyone in danger? Is the issue still unfolding? Who is affected: customers, employees, neighbors, investors?
- Stop routine communication. Pause scheduled social media posts and advertising campaigns. A cheerful promotional post in the middle of a crisis can do more damage than the crisis itself.
Hour 1 to 3: the holding statement
You will not have all the answers yet, but you can still say something true and useful. A holding statement is a short first message that buys time without saying “no comment”. It typically covers four points:
- Acknowledge: we are aware of the situation.
- Show concern: our priority is the safety and well-being of those affected.
- Describe action: this is what we are doing right now.
- Commit to updates: we will share more information at a stated time, and here is where to find it.
Publish it where people are already looking: your website, your social media accounts and directly to journalists who are asking.
Hour 3 to 6: one voice, the right order
- Designate a single spokesperson. Mixed messages from different managers destroy credibility quickly. Everyone else refers questions to the spokesperson.
- Inform employees first, or at least at the same time. Staff should never learn about a crisis in their own company from the news. They are also your most credible ambassadors, or your most damaging leak.
- Map stakeholders. Customers, suppliers, regulators, partners and local authorities each need a message suited to them, delivered through the right channel.
- Prepare questions and answers. List the hardest questions you could be asked and agree on honest answers before the interviews start.
Hour 6 to 24: updates, monitoring and correction
- Keep your promise on updates. If you said you would update at 6 p.m., update at 6 p.m., even if the update is “the investigation continues”.
- Monitor continuously. Follow news coverage and social media to see which questions keep coming up and which false information is spreading.
- Correct misinformation calmly. Respond with facts, not emotion. Correct the most widespread errors rather than every single comment.
- Document everything. Record decisions, statements and timings. They will be needed for the review afterwards, and possibly for legal purposes.
A note for data breaches: in many jurisdictions, regulators must be notified within a fixed period. Under both the EU’s GDPR and Türkiye’s personal data protection framework (KVKK), the expected window for notifying the authority is 72 hours. Communication and legal teams need to work together from the very first hour.
What to say, and what never to say
Do:
- Speak in plain language and show empathy before explaining.
- Take responsibility for what is yours to take responsibility for.
- Explain concrete actions, not intentions.
Avoid:
- “No comment”, which is read as an admission of guilt.
- Speculating about causes or figures you have not confirmed.
- Blaming customers, employees or suppliers in public.
- Minimizing the issue (“it was only a small number of users”).
- Deleting critical comments, which usually creates a second story.
The best crisis plan is written before the crisis
Organizations that handle crises well have usually rehearsed them. Preparation does not have to be elaborate:
- A crisis manual with contact lists, roles and approval steps.
- Scenarios for the most likely risks in your sector, each with a draft holding statement.
- Spokesperson training so that the person in front of the camera has practiced difficult questions in advance.
- A dark site or prepared web page that can be published quickly if needed.
A crisis tests the trust an organization has built over years. Handling the first 24 hours well will not make the problem disappear, but it can stop a difficult day from becoming a lasting reputation problem.
Our media consultancy service includes crisis communication planning and spokesperson training. If your challenge is getting good news out rather than managing bad news, start with our guide on how to write a press release.
