How to manage your communication appropriately, effectively and with empathy amidst panic and fear
The reality is our business activities are crucial to keeping the economy functioning, and when our marketing and PR are done well we can absolutely avoid a much larger economic crisis than what we’re already faced with.
“So how do we manage our communication appropriately when there is so much panic, fear and yet necessity to operate business?”
Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. It’s actually quite complicated given that just 2 weeks ago it was acceptable and encouraged to ask people to be out and about or use photos in your campaigns of people hugging and touching, whereas now, it is both inappropriate and completely irresponsible. And because of the complicated systems of health recommendations added to the panic and fear and even political correctness, no one has developed the perfect tested formula yet.
We’re all in uncharted territory, even Google is facing the same problem.
What we have done is provided a robust filter with guiding questions on how and whether you should run a campaign given our research and experience in Cambodia:
Are you exploiting people? If you think you might be, it might pay to ask someone what their thoughts are before posting anything on Facebook. It is not okay to be making a quick buck when literally the whole world is in panic. Your usual marketing messages will bounce off your audience as people are on edge, and likewise, predatory campaigns will be rightfully hated. Don’t do it.
Do you know what you’re talking about or sharing? If you’re reading this blog post, it’s highly unlikely you’re a doctor or a nurse. This means you shouldn’t be sharing COVID healthcare advice or tips unless it’s clearly vetted and sourced from a reputable organization such as the WHO or CDC. The spread of misinformation has been devastating, we won’t dive into this as there have been numerous hate posts of organizations and even reputable individuals sharing false information.
Is this a continuation of your normal PR and marketing? Because if it is, stop and consider if your audience has the stomach to read through a 20% discount off floor tiles Facebook post. Or a Buy 1 Get 1 Free Bubble Tea . Or worse still, real estate discounts for that condo in Kampot. There’s nothing inherently wrong about marketing and PR, but use your powers of empathy to see what your customers really need right now, which leads us to the next filter.
Are you being helpful? We’ve reached a reset point to the first principle of business - what problem do you actually solve for your customer? Companies have seen sales plummet because they simply weren’t necessary, whereas others such as healthcare and even cheap rice have spiked in price. Helpful can mean many things depending on your business, helpful means delivery, it means you’ve taught your delivery drivers about good hygiene, it means you’re controlling supply to prevent hoarding or panic buying, it means a $1 of every sale is donated to the hospital.
And if you are helping, are you communicating your commitment and showing it? Your customers and audience are in need of some good news and it is an excellent opportunity to show your core values and to encourage others to do it too. It is an excellent time to pivot your brand and double down as the thought leader in your industry by doing the right thing, don’t waste this opportunity.
Now that you have your message down, is your campaign visually appealing on digital? Because everyone is now doubling down online, it’s time to get that sweet website you’ve been planning.
Are you showing a face? This was a growing trend regardless of Covid and is now more relevant than ever, people want to see who is behind the brand, and in times of crisis and panic, they react better to seeing a face, not a logo. It’s more relatable and human. We need humans.
Is it appropriate? Familiarize yourself with the WHO health guidelines and see if your campaign or message is contradicting those rules. Because if they are, change them. For example, it is not okay to encourage people to rent from your shared office right now, why? Because they’re supposed to be practicing social/physical distancing, your audience will pick up on this immediately. Just remember that people have a knack for suddenly remembering every detail of advice when their life is on the line. Interesting right?
Specifically for Cambodia, we have an incredibly entrepreneurial population who are willing to band together to get through this situation. Meaning reduced marketing costs, shared customer bases and other assets so consider a partnership when putting together your campaigns.
We hope this has been helpful, this filter is by no means perfect but is a great start for you to go forward with your marketing and PR campaigns, because it’s a necessity to keep the economy going! We need you to keep doing business!
In regards to when we think things may normalize again, well it’s hard to say, we believe that the reopening of schools is a good benchmark as this signifies that we are past the stage where we can worry about delicate situations, hopefully meaning spread is down and/or we have a means of certifying those without the virus for travel and interaction.
Best of luck and go do some good for the community, it’s good for your business and good for your brand. We’re right behind you :)