A raging pandemic. Social unrest. Racial inequality. Economic uncertainty. Political strife. The list goes on. 2020 has been rough.
The impact on our world is profound and permanent. The question is: what does this new world mean for businesses and how they communicate? A lot, and it has changed, or should change, in how they speak with internal and external audiences.
But first, let’s acknowledge that right now, many businesses are scared. The fear of saying the wrong thing can be crippling, and many businesses are opting to say nothing at all. In some ways, it’s understandable. A tone-deaf email, social post, or ad can land a company in hot water, quickly. But in other ways, silence is worse than a slip-up. Silence, in the wrong situation, can imply disinterest or a lack of sympathy around important issues. Audiences may infer the wrong thing: that the business is out of touch, or worse, silence can hint at something more unfavorable.
We’re here to encourage you; don’t let the fear of saying the wrong thing silence your brand. There are some best practices for communicating during crises of all sorts that can help you navigate these strange and uncharted times.
So, where to begin?
Start by Listening
While your business may be rebounding, not all organizations and people are in the same position. Internally, employees on your team may be feeling the personal effects of the crisis based on family situations, job loss among partners, and numerous other factors. Engage them in a meaningful dialogue and see where they are. Speak with the people in your circle—clients, prospects, strategic partners, advisors, and even competitors—to see where their heads are and what they’re seeing. Start a dialogue with an open mind and be ready to listen to what they say and to hear things that surprise you. That will help you gain a better understanding of the variation in effects among your stakeholders.
For those in relationship management doing virtual sales, it’s ok to start off conversations with some feeler questions to take a pulse. Here is a list of some great questions beyond simply, “How are you?” It’s better to know than to guess.
Take Your Time
Crises are often synonymous with urgency, but in this case, you don’t need to rush. COVID-19, racism and the economic downturn aren’t new anymore, and they aren’t going away anytime soon. So, our best advice when considering your communication approach these days is counter to instinct: slow down.
Going slower will help for a few reasons. You’re more likely to catch a mistake before it’s too late. And, you’ll give deeper thought to the many audiences under your reach. For example, when we say your “team”, we don’t just mean your employees. Think about their families and even prospective employees. If you’re fortunate enough to be hiring, how are you engaging these individuals? Are you showing gratitude and appreciation to the hundreds of applicants? With clients, have you considered how you’re communicating with present and past relationships? Likewise, there are many other audiences that interact with businesses and each one has its unique needs. These audiences want to know you’re thinking about them, even as we all develop crisis fatigue. Below are some questions to think through for each of your audiences.
Employees: How are you handling internal communications? What messages are you sharing? Are they a balance of information and inspiration? When and how are you disseminating information? What expectations do you have of your team now? What long-term policies have you communicated about remote work? Is there a vehicle for them to ask questions?
Clients: Have you communicated with clients? Individually or broadly? Have you addressed individual client concerns? Are there any others ongoing? What leadership position can you take in the industry on these topics? How can you turn this challenge into an opportunity to differentiate from your competitors sensitively? Where and how should you communicate these messages? Have you considered your new business outreach strategy? Should the timing, tone, or content adjust?
Prospects: Have you communicated with prospects in your pipeline? How are their industries being affected? Has the person you were in contact with been furloughed or laid off? What about others you were courting—is there something you can offer that might actually be helpful during this time (more on that below)?
Partners: In what capacity do your partners depend on your business, or you on theirs? Are there ways that you all can help each other during this time?
Investors: On the investor side, have you told them your business continuity plans? Have they shared advice? Have you asked them to push back, challenge assumptions, and poke holes? Are there other ways that they can help you? What relationships to other businesses do they have that could be mutually beneficial?
Balance Information and Inspiration
When exploring these questions with each audience, you’ll get some answers, and likely many more questions. One thing that’s sure to come up are a lot of emotions, whether they are seen or not. In emotional situations, making sure that your messaging includes real information can help ease uncertainty and answer the questions in your audiences’ head that can be reasonably answered. But also including some inspiration can help people stay positive.
Switch from Alarm to Assurance
When a fire breaks out, it’s natural and appropriate to ring the alarm. Now, months into a global crisis, your tone and message should evolve from alarm to assurance. Sure, things may still feel uncertain and scary. But people want to be reassured that you’re going to help them and that everything is going to be ok.
To quote the mantra of a respected and wise leader in the Boston nonprofit community, “People don’t give to sinking ships.” Likewise, they don’t want to partner with your business because you’re in trouble or times are rough.
Focus on the Future
One question to ask yourself is: are you looking down at your feet or down the road?
As with any crisis, collective or organizational, eventually the clouds will pass, and the storm will be over. But take extra care to be extra real with everyone you’re communicating with. Too much optimism can be off-putting to those reeling from the crisis’ effects; too much pessimism can kill morale. Just be honest and transparent. Everyone will appreciate it.
Always Remember Empathy
When we say empathy, we really mean taking yourself out of your own situation and mindset and truly trying to place yourself in the shoes everyone you’re communicating to. Tone is everything in times of crisis. What you do, people may let slide. But they won’t let you off the hook for how you say it.
Bottom line: Be aware. Be curious. Be kind. Let those traits reflect how you walk and talk.
Be a Help, not a Hassle
Businesses are doing their part to help our communities in myriad ways. From switching operations to make medical supplies to offering free headshots for recently laid off professionals, to giving out free software for children’s education to using tech to make COVID-19 data publicly available.
Be realistic about who would want to hear from you and who might think you’re just trying to stay afloat. There’s a thin line between being helpful and being opportunistic. Being genuine and sincere with only the people you know you can help will ensure you find that right balance.
With that in mind, we’d like to offer our assistance. It’s a stressful time, but you don’t need to go it alone. Come to us with your communications challenge and we’ll give you advice on the best path forward. Email us at info@hencove.com to schedule a 30-minute consultation at no charge.
When in doubt, reach out.