In Public Relations, a crisis is an opportunity to pitch a story to come out stronger at the end of it. Many businesses find themselves in dire economic downturn owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and it is essential to keep your cool and stay proactive. Laying low will not help maintain and develop your brand image. Don’t cut down on work hours for your PR specialists, instead support them and focus on developing an effective crisis communication strategy.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity
A crisis will pass and everything will return back to normal – but a business that makes use of the crisis to fill an information void will have the upper hand, coming out of the crisis. During the coronavirus outbreak, any news related to the virus will attract instant interest. Services that minimize person-to-person contact, CSR activities will create buzz and your name will be mentioned in news articles and this will portray your brand in a new light.
Give your clients something to look forward to
A lot of businesses are on the verge of closing down, especially in the hospitality and tourism industry. Airlines, tourist agencies and entertainment centers are temporarily closed.
This virus will someday go away and people have hopes and plans for the future ahead. Your business, disappearing from the public eye will make people anxious – keep running those ads, post social media content and keep those blog posts going. If you have a subscription based business like a gym, be sure to inform your clients about your plans for after the crisis, let them know what will happen to their memberships after – offer a complimentary extension, give them something for their support because the goal is to keep your clients happy.
Be kind
Acts of kindness can go a long way in provoking interest. A lot of subscription based video sites, especially educational sides have come out and offered open access to all for their content. Help people in any way you or your business can, it could be something as small as volunteering as a team or offering your services to those in need.
Share your experience
With so many changes in the way life works, there are people and organisations out there that haven’t been able to adapt 100% to the current situation. Share your personal experience on how remote working was organized, the challenges you faced as a team and how you overcame them. This will make people feel closer to your business. Make sure your communication is as friendly as possible, whilst being proactive and open for action.
It’s just a matter of time before this crisis passes. As a PR agency, think about how you and your clients can benefit from the situation. Life will go back to normal after the quarantine and you must work towards securing a spot for your business in the day-to-day life of people when all this is past us.
The Human & Digital Communications Agency
Our award-winning communications team blends human interactions & digital engagement seamlessly to produce results for brands.
