Testing and Training

April 25, 2018 - What do you think would happen if a Broadway play had no rehearsals? The actors all know their lines, but now the curtain is going up and nobody knows where to stand, where to exit, or where the props are. So they each know their parts but they have no idea how they work together. That play would probably close right after opening night. So what would happen if you had to use your business continuity plan(s) in a crisis without any kind of rehearsal? Would your people know what to do, where to go, who's in charge? We doubt it. See this issue for some tips on testing that will help your plan work when it's called on.

You can't wait until the crisis to use your business continuity plan. (Item #1)  Three fundamental test types are used in business continuity testing: a plan review, a tabletop test, and a simulation test. Each is examined here. (Item #2)  By practicing regular digital fire drills, organizations and their employees will be empowered with knowledge and tools to limit the damage and ensure the organization is on the fast road to recovery. (Item #3) 

The biggest exposure to the risk of any organization is the implementation of an 'untested' plan or the expectation that 'untested aspects' of a partially tested plan will function as well as the tested components. (Item #4)  These 19 tips can help you make your testing more interesting and more relevant. (Item #5)  Unfortunately, most recovery plan testing is limited to a tabletop—not an operational fail-over. (Item #6)


For the full issue, click here.

Data Breaches

April 18, 2018 - There's a data breach in your future, whether you believe it or not. As we find more ways to protect our data, hackers find better ways to steal it. The result of these breaches goes beyond the extensive financial cost. Your stock price may drop. Customer trust is eroded. Corporate reputation may be damaged. Recovering from all of these impacts is expensive and time-consuming. Your business continuity plan should include some planning for preventing and responding to these attacks.

The assertion that data breach prevention and preparedness is strictly an information technology security issue could not be further from the truth. (Item #1)   Findings of a recent survey show that there are financial and reputational benefits of having an effective BCM program when a data breach occurs. (Item #2)   58 data records are stolen every second... guess what the average cost is. (and view the IBM data breach calculator) (Item #3)

Here are the missteps executives make time and again after a data breach and advice for avoiding these pitfalls. (Item #4)   The author offers his own recommendations to help companies regain trust in the age of the data breach. (Item #5)   It's always better, if possible, to prevent a data breach than to fix it. (Item #6)


For the full issue, click here.

Social Media

April 11, 2018 - If you are using social media as a tool, your organization can benefit (or suffer) in many ways. Using it ineffectively can cause problems that might negatively impact your bottom line. Using it well to gain new customers can have the opposite effect. This week's articles highlight some of the effective ways to use this range of tools.

The author shares his thoughts on how to deal with a crisis in the public (Twitter)sphere. (Item #1)  Social media is better used as a customer service and brand-equity platform than a revenue generator. (Item #2)  Delivering exceptional customer service on social media means understanding (and focusing on) three fundamental areas. (Item #3)

Social media can help organizations share their stories and connect with their target audience--candidates, new hires, and current employees. (Item #4)  How does your nonprofit board support your social media efforts to engage with your members? (Item #5)  These are the essential elements of a solid social media employee advocacy training program. (Item #6)


For the full issue, click here.

Communication in the Post-Truth Era

April 4, 2018 - Fake news and alternative facts (notice hardly anyone says "lie" anymore) have been part of the communication landscape for a couple of years now. We find ourselves in the post-truth era. What does this mean to those of us who need to gain the public's trust to achieve our missions and improve our bottom lines? And what does it mean to our marketing communications? Crisis Communications? The most clues to navigating and surviving this era come from understanding what post-truth means, which is why we have chosen the following articles this week.

Corrections or counter-information to false rumors, lies, or "alternative facts" are very difficult, and should be a matter of public concern; in many cases, therefore, attenuating them may be the only hope. (Item #1)  Reporting the news and communicating to target audiences have become far more challenging because truth is increasingly relative and trusted information sources are suspect. (Item #2)  How should companies communicate in the Post-Truth era, particularly when it comes to the use of numbers? (Item #3)

The phenomenon or confirmation bias is one we all need to be aware of and figure out how to navigate. (Item #4)  Fake news. Clickbait. Sensationalism and misinformation. Americans are experiencing a plague of untrustworthy content, and content marketing isn't immune to the disease. (Item #5)  There's no Trade Practices Act for politics. And that's a shame. (Item #6)


For the full issue, click here.