TL;DR: The federal government shutdown will create widespread challenges for organizations that rely on Washington. To stay visible and credible, our 1-2-3 playbook gives comms leaders a proactive plan to move decisively, protect their reputation, and emerge stronger when government operations resume.

We have entered a government shutdown, and with it comes heightened uncertainty for organizations that depend on Washington. With the potential for an extended shutdown there may be significant ripple effects, from delayed contracts and grants to stalled regulatory timelines and unpredictable agency engagement. At RH Strategic, we help our clients navigate moments like these by ensuring they remain visible, credible, and resilient.

In the days ahead, there will be wall-to-wall media coverage, increasingly polarized narratives from both parties, and a limited ability to engage with agency contacts. For organizations, this means two things: prepare for immediate operational impacts, and have a thoughtful communications plan ready. Shutdown coverage will crowd out other news – policy and national – making it harder for other issues to break through. Assess your business and media priorities for the coming weeks, and understand how the shutdown may impact them. Clear internal updates, transparent stakeholder messaging, and carefully positioned external visibility will demonstrate situational awareness and leadership in a crowded and chaotic conversation.

Awareness is only half the battle. With the policy environment shifting by the hour, a clear, proactive communications plan is essential. Our 1-2-3 playbook is designed for moments like these and outlines the most important steps organizations can take now — from shaping the message and preparing the right team, to leveraging relationships that strengthen your position as the situation evolves:

1. Own Your Message.

  • Avoid choosing sides. Keep politics out of responses, indicate a desire to wait and see what is signal and what is noise, and commit to helping decisionmakers be
    fully informed.
  • Develop talking points to avoid speculation while demonstrating knowledge. Ensure that your mission and the data that support your narrative (i.e. jobs numbers or economic contribution) showcase your knowledge in the field. Don’t contribute to the echo chamber; be a thought leader and contribute unique, relevant insights.
  • Be transparent and authentic. Be measured and patient in internal and external communications as the situation evolves. Be up front about the fact that there may still be many unknowns, and the situation is fluid.
  • Prepare reactive statements. Prepare a media holding statement, along with Q&A documents/key messages for customers, employees, and prospects to support sales and customer service teams. Political questions are some of the most difficult, so be prepared to block and bridge.

2. Ready the Team for Impact.

  • Assemble a “tiger team.” Bring together members from customer relations, corporate communications, legal, government affairs and HR to assess the latest and adjust response strategies. Prepare for both short-term and extended shutdown scenarios.
  • Audit messaging. Assess your marketing materials (website, social media channels, press releases, etc.) for references to government programs, funding, or data that could be disrupted.
  • Control the chatter. Inform internal teams on who and where to go for the latest information on federal guidance and the impact on your organization. Remind employees about social media policies to maintain control of brand communications and avoid unintentional associations. Assume all private communication can be made public.
  • Be aware of the impact. Understand your company’s current policies, how they are communicated externally, and how a shutdown may impact these policies.

3. Activate Your Ecosystem.

  • Engage your partners. Stay connected with your trade associations, coalitions, and Congressional delegation during the shutdown. Share clear, relevant data that highlights the value your organization delivers, particularly in areas that resonate with policymakers, such as job preservation, economic resilience, and community impact, without being political. Tie your messaging back to how a shutdown directly affects your business, employees, and customers. Position yourself as a constructive resource as lawmakers and stakeholders weigh the implications of the shutdown.

With the right strategy, organizations can weather moments of uncertainty and emerge as trusted voices in their field. If you’re interested in learning more, let’s talk.

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RH Strategic is a Seattle and D.C.-based PR agency with a nationwide presence and additional global reach via membership in the Worldcom Public Relations Group. We provide strategic public relations for innovators in the technology, government, healthcare, and social and environmental impact markets.