How the Coronavirus Crisis Affects Your Business – B2B Marketing and PR:

Johannesburg, 14 April 2020 – The reality of life during and post-COVID-19 has not fully sunk in yet, and its consequences for our businesses, organisations, economy, and society will play out over the rest of 2020 and beyond. We have probably all heard this many times by now, but the world is in unprecedented times.

We are in the midst of a global pandemic, countries are shutting borders, and lockdowns are becoming our daily norm. Did we ever think we would be here four months into this new decade that promised so much? The most important thing right now is that we all stay safe as individuals, and do our part to help curb COVID-19.

But what can businesses be doing on the PR front during this time of crisis and uncertainty? Many companies have had to make budget cuts across all lines of business.

We have complied a checklist to help and guide you during this time

1. Do a stakeholder check in

You are probably on this already, if not talk to all your stakeholders involved with comms and decision making as soon you can. Compiling their collective viewpoints will ensure you have everyone’s input, and it will help shape your new strategy and make next steps easier. Create personalised email messages to different stakeholders from a known person at your company.

2. Define objectives and strategy

Your objective right now probably is survival. Or it could be looking at attracting a new audience. Either way think strategically about opportunities that will make a difference, and align PR and comms to it, but whatever you do, do not profit from this situation and people’s misfortune. A phased PR strategy is a solid idea. What do you need to do right now? And what will you do when this is over? Because it will be at some point.

3. Re-evaluate your plans

The communication plan you had last month, or even last week, is now moot. Relook all your plans now, get a new one in place, and keep refining it as often as need be. Things are fluid and are changing all the time and you need to make sure you are agile in all areas of marketing and communication.

4. Be human – Mind your own voice

Your overall positioning and tone of voice should be one of safety, empathy, all delivered in a human way. Cheeky pitch emails can guarantee sky-high open rates and land coverage links left and right. On a normal day.

Right now, you shouldn’t be using human tragedy as a news hook.

Keep your communication empathetic and positive. Highlight areas of social good or social impact. Be extra conscious of not spreading misinformation. Back up your campaigns with data and/or expertise. Soften language, banish corporate jargon, and ensure sensitivity. Now more than ever, your audience wants to see and hear from human beings. Basic Human Decency applies, increasingly we are seeing a call for consumers to measure companies on their behaviour and make future buying decisions based upon how human and how decent they are right now.

5. Showcase strong leadership

You need to embody this now more than ever. Ensure clarity, compassion, empathy, and strength via all communications. Have you spoken to all your clients and re-assured them? Are you checking in daily with team members working remotely? Could you develop video content to convey your message in a more human manner to inspire confidence with your stakeholders?

6. Preparation is key – Crisis Communication Plan

Ensure you have statements prepared for all possible scenarios you can think of. Have you prepared for an employee contracting COVID-19 and it escalating to media? Have you got social media Q&A’s for customer concerns on hygiene? Handling this correctly is vital. This is where brand trust can be won and lost in an instant.

7. Keep communicating regularly – Cease All Non-Essential Press Releases and Launches

Don’t go silent. Even if your business has been impacted, keep talking. Government directives are changing daily, and you have a duty of care to reassure people that you are complying with them and will keep them updated as things develop. Keep talking and listening to your audience and customer base, the beauty of social media is that you can have a two-way conversation. Reach customers through other media and not just your usual channels.

Press releases and launches are a key part of any PR strategy, especially B2B PR. But the fact is that now is not the time for your latest announcement —unless it simply can’t wait. The reality is that nobody cares right now. Everybody is in a state of panic and has time only to focus on the current situation, not your company news.

Put off that press release or product launch until things calm down. And by all means do not piggyback arbitrary company news onto the pandemic. That is bad form and in poor taste.

8. Build creative content – Stay Relevant to Your Audience

A content-led approach is a great strategy for your marketing and communications right now, and it can be very cost effective- all you really need is a decent smartphone and internet access. People are panicking right now. It’s no time to focus on your needs. Look for ways to put your audience in first place and address their needs and concerns. For example, if you are a financial institution, you might produce content that addresses ways that your audience can save money during this time or how their small business can adapt to decreased customer numbers and purchases. Remember this isn’t a time to benefit, it’s a time to show you care. Get creative, but in an empathetic and authentic way.

9. Give back – Donate, donate, donate

We need to help each other get through this, so what can your business do to make a difference? Can it donate money to charity? Could your manufacturing facility produce garments for those on the front line of COVID-19, or can you help with the distance learning movement? If you make a positive impact right now, you will generate brand affinity, and people will remember it. Whatever you do, please make sure it’s within legal guidelines

10. Pay attention to measurement and analysis

This is still key to ensuring what you’re doing is working in the right way. Yes, the quantitative metrics are still important, but more important are the qualitative ones, bearing in mind it’s all about humanisation of our activity right now. Looking at the comments on social media posts and getting feedback from stakeholders will ensure that you stay on track.

Stay safe, stay strong, this too shall pass. Be mindful not to promote how your brand took off during the crisis – you don’t want to be seen as profiteering from a tragedy.

Don’t be discouraged if your campaigns are not hitting the mark right now or if you’re not hearing back from the media. Just as we are running around trying to figure out how to realign plans and strategies in these unprecedented times – so are the media.

Sharing reliable information is our ethical responsibility, and empathy and humanity unite us – remember – “Crisis does not build character, it reveals it.”

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.

– MyPR

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