By Shonel Perera
While communicating what a company does and how it delivers products, services and value is important, this level of communication goes a long way during this difficult time in adding value to your businesses.
As the role and value of public relations evolve among increasingly noisy and crowded markets, a Public Relations team has the opportunity to communicate a company’s narrative across a broad range of channels.
One of a kind solutions to sustain during this crisis
Three questions to ask yourself about your business would be
- How is my business helping people during this health emergency?
- How is my company continuously working to ensure the safety of its employees and customers?
- What is the contribution made by my company to fight against COVID-19?
Be mindful that the company’s approach with regards to COVID-19 is legitimate and relevant to the public conversation. Attempts to make a grab for headlines by using the coronavirus to get unnecessary attention could cause public backlash.
Industry minded leadership
Individuals across the globe crave for citizens to step up and lead right now as every individual plays a main role in preventing the spread of this virus. People are mostly afraid and looking for guidance from leaders.
A great PR practitioner will be able to guide their customers to enter into that leadership role.
Your brand or company does not have to be directly connected to the healthcare sector to be valuable during the outbreak. Category of business aside, a business can provide rations, support child care services, or provide work during a period of salary cuts and mass layoffs. Your PR strategists should be able to guide you on how you present your messages to their publics.
This can only be done by giving out valuable and factual information with the hope of guiding and assisting the general public and excluding self-promotion.
Force Majeure
Your publics will be looking for pieces that are more positive and lighter feel, other than the direct ties to the Coronavirus pandemic, and will look to cover community service and stories with a more humane aspect.
Circumstances and coverage, intensity of the pandemic are changing rapidly and it is difficult for the media to be in touch with you or your organization due to their obvious primary focus during this global crisis. PR professionals are an asset during situations like this where they can be precise, accurate and clear about the value and focus of your message keeping in mind the rapid changes and day to day changes as well. Results will be procured once firms can use PR professionals to adapt and improvise to the rapid changes that unfold.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Source: Simply Psychology
Overall, if carried out successfully, a PR campaign can help you achieve your objectives in building a better relationship between you and your stakeholders effectively and affordably especially during an hour your finances direct and freeze your marketing budgets. The key to success in PR is to be creative in your messaging and not force your product or service during this time where people have identified the bottom of the pyramid of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is pretty much evident. In a nutshell, your PR tasks should be relevant, carry empathy, create confidence and communicate the message precisely and directly.
