In brief
You have a message you can repeat without drifting, a plan for reporters, and scripts your staff can use the same day. The story stops hardening around one offhand line, because every channel is working from the same approved wording.
I provide crisis management support that gives you one approved message, one spokesperson lane, and clear scripts for staff. You’ll know what to say today, who says it, and what to do next.
I start by pulling the facts into one timeline, then I write the shortest safe statement you can stand behind right now. From there I prep the person who will speak, map the hard questions you are likely to get, and set rules for social and staff replies so nobody has to improvise under pressure.
A bit about me
I’m Mariana Cruz, a crisis communications consultant. I got into this work through public-facing brands that had to respond in real time, with staff on WhatsApp and customers filming before anyone at the top had the full picture. I write the kind of statements that can survive a follow-up question, and I stay close until they’re in use.
People pick me when they need speed without guessing. I don’t pad a response with big promises or vague apologies that create new headlines. I stick to verifiable facts, plain language, and the smallest set of messages you can repeat everywhere, because one message that holds beats five that collapse under pressure.
Recent work
Here are a few recent crisis situations where my job was to get usable wording in place fast, then keep it consistent across media, staff, and social.
Portfolio
Hotel incident response. Built a same-day holding statement, a spokesperson brief, and staff call scripts after a guest video started spreading. The front desk stopped freelancing answers, and the owner had a single line that held through follow-up questions.
Spirits brand recall notice. Wrote customer-facing recall language, retailer talking points, and a reporter response plan. The brand kept one set of facts across packaging partners, sales messages, and inbound press, so corrections did not become the story.
Market stall rumor control. Created a quick-response script for staff after a rumor started circulating in person and on local social pages. Staff had one sentence to use at the stall, plus an escalation rule for anything beyond that.
“She gave me the exact words to use, and the calls got easier.”
Owner-operator, a customer-facing brand under scrutiny
How this runs
In a fast-moving situation, I keep the work tight: one timeline, one message set, and one clear lane for who speaks. You’ll see drafts quickly, and each revision is tied to a fact, a risk, or a likely question.
1. Fact gather Hour 1 I take a fast call to capture what happened, what you know, and what you do not know yet. I turn that into a simple timeline and a list of open questions, so your first statement doesn’t contradict what you later confirm. 2. Holding message Hour 2 I draft a holding statement you can use immediately, plus two or three supporting lines you can repeat. You review for factual accuracy and approvals. I build in a line that keeps you from speculating while you verify details. 3. Brief and scripts Same day I prepare briefing notes for the person who will speak, including the questions they are most likely to get first and the answers that stay inside your facts. I also write short scripts for staff, partners, and any regulator-facing calls you need to make. 4. Stay with it Next 2-7 days I monitor the narrative shifts that matter, update your Q&A as new facts are verified, and send a daily situation report you can forward internally. If a reporter keeps calling, I give you a clean reply path so you can respond without getting pulled into an interview.
Rapid response message set
A tight set of approved lines you can repeat across calls, email, WhatsApp, and on camera, written to stay accurate as facts are confirmed.
HOLDING STATEMENT DRAFT
A publishable statement you can stand behind right away, with one version for media and one version for customers if the tone needs to differ.
MEDIA HANDLING PLAN
A short plan for who speaks, what to say if you are cold-called, and how to handle repeated requests for comment without creating new angles.
Spokesperson briefing notes
Talking points, likely questions, and safe bridging lines, written in the voice the spokesperson can actually deliver under stress.
CALL SCRIPTS FOR STAKEHOLDERS
Scripts for staff, partners, and regulators so the first 30 seconds of each call stays consistent and factual.
SOCIAL TRIAGE PLAYBOOK
A comment-response matrix with escalation rules, plus ready-to-post replies for the questions you are already seeing or are likely to see next.
Pricing
Pick the tier based on how long you need me to stay on it after the first-day response work is in place.
Priced items
Get started
If you want crisis management support in place today, sign here and I’ll send the first-call link immediately.
1. Sign the proposal and confirm the main decision-maker for approvals. 2. Pay 25% to book the work and open the response window. 3. Join the first-call fact gather so I can draft the holding statement.
Signature
Fee summary
Payment
To book, I invoice 25% when you sign. I invoice the remaining 75% when I hand over the finished work. Each invoice is payable within 14 days of its date.
Start time. I can start once I have a single decision-maker for approvals and a way to reach them fast. If approvals pause, drafts and timelines pause with them.
Client inputs. You will provide the known facts, key documents, and the names of anyone who can confirm details. If something is unverified, I will label it as unverified in the timeline and drafts.
Revisions and approvals. I include reasonable revisions to get wording approved and usable, including tightening for length and tone. A new direction or new set of facts counts as a scope change.
Scope changes
If the situation changes and you need additional days, additional channels, or new audiences, I will outline the added work in writing and send a supplemental invoice before I continue.
Confidentiality. I will treat your internal notes, drafts, and the fact timeline as confidential. I may discuss the situation with your lawyer only if you introduce us and ask me to coordinate.
Ownership and use. Once the final 75% is paid, you own the approved statements, scripts, and playbooks I wrote for you. Until then, drafts stay mine and are for review only.
Cancellation. If you cancel after booking, the 25% booking payment is non-refundable because it holds time I cannot resell on short notice. If I have started work, I will send what I have.
