When a crisis strikes, it may be easy to overlook your organization's existing communications channels — and audiences — while trying to deal with crush of demands from the news media. But since these tools are already in place, they provide ready-made access to critical audiences during critical times.

For example, American Airlines effectively used email to move messages to its customers following the crash of Flight 587 late last year. On Nov. 16, American Airlines Executive Vice President Mike Gunn, reached out to customers with an emailed newsletter updating them on the progress of the accident investigation.

"I promised to keep you informed and wanted to provide an update on the situation surrounding Flight 587," Gunn wrote in the opening of his email letter which went out to subscribers of the airline's newsletter for members of its frequent flyer programs. Gunn's letter described the progress of the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation of the accident itself, along with progress on a program of voluntary inspection of tail fins on the Airbus A300 fleet of airplanes. He cited a specific percentage of the work completed at that time and promised to communicate with the audience again when the work was completed.

"It is my pledge to keep you informed of not only issues surrounding the accident but also security and airport process measures that we are implementing across our system," Gunn wrote.

Such pledges are easy to make, but often difficult to accomplish in the confusion that usually follows a crisis. Yet American wisely recognized the value of this communications tool.

Here are some considerations to keep in mind while you are juggling all the other details of a crisis:

- A crisis situation will end. When it does, will the customers still be there? The chances are better that they will if you have kept them informed throughout the crisis.

- If you've targeted a group as an audience before a crisis, most likely they will also be an important audience during the crisis. Don't forget about them just because you're overwhelmed with the crisis response.

- A crisis demands speed of communication. What could be faster than email?

- Email also affords the opportunity for personalized messaging. It's a small touch, but it is a powerful way of reinforcing that you are concerned about the information flow to the audience.

- With email, you can be certain that your messages reach your audiences exactly as you want them stated. There is no news media "filter" and no risks of diluting or altering your messages.