You already know the drill. Regular blog posts, informative newsletters, an all-encompassing social media strategy, and engaging targeted ads all make for a successful communication strategy. However, what happens when a crisis suddenly hits?
Due to the widespread uncertainty brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic, startups across industries have seen their entire operations shaken up. Impacting some 2.7 billion workers, the pandemic has been putting pressure on organizations to adapt and maintain the trust of their clients, stakeholders, and networks.
Now the question is: how can startups manage crisis communications effectively to show stability, strength, and understanding in this confusing and difficult time?
Take a moment to strategize
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that when a crisis happens in real life, its digital consequences are severe. In the online arena of intense interactions, opinions, and emotions, businesses need to have a game plan. There’s certainly a lot to communicate — so where do you even start?
When our business’s existence is under threat, our natural instinct is to act quickly. However, to manage a crisis effectively, you need to take the opposite approach. Hasty moves, especially when making a tough decision or breaking important news, could cause more harm than good. Therefore, think before acting and analyze before deciding.
In addition, a business’s internal and external communication strategies should align to avoid inconsistent messages. When your business ambassadors have separate ideas about your action plan, you risk incomprehensive communication to your stakeholders, putting your business’s reputation in jeopardy.
Think about the ways to reach your audience and what rhetoric to use. At the same time, evaluate how your current strategy fits the societal mood. Are you still running ads for a product that isn’t relevant anymore? Also, how does the messaging relate to the current situation? For example, consider how inappropriate it would be if KFC ran a social media campaign using its notorious “Finger lickin’ good” slogan during the pandemic.
Choose your words wisely
Any crisis requires close communication. Startups might want to inform their stakeholders about any disruptions, operational changes, or other important updates. However, when reaching out to your customers, focus on what’s really important to them. For instance, Target sent out a note from the CEO pointing out enhanced cleaning procedures and additional resources to support order pickup and drive-up services.
Knowing what’s newsworthy is key, as is choosing your tone for your announcement. Your communication should be responsive, honest, and empathetic. There has never been a better time for startups to show their human side. You can offer your support, explain what you’re doing to maintain your team, and share an inspirational message.
Ultimately, you want to avoid appearing exploitative of the coronavirus crisis. This is not the time to blindly push sales, so be careful when promoting products. Instead, prioritize a community-centric approach. Take note of Primark’s response; when faced with the gloomy plunges in retail profits, the company stated: “In time we can rebuild the profits. We can’t replace the people we lose.”
The number one priority? Maintaining relationships.
We need to come together in these unprecedented times, so how can your startup leverage its assets to make a positive impact? Whether it’s offering your product or service at a reduced price, renegotiating or pausing payment installments from clients, or shaping your offerings to create more value for your audience, there’s a lot you can do.
This may even mean shifting your operations to meet the needs of your customers. In fact, some startups in the travel industry found themselves temporarily switching some of their sales team members to customer service to provide greater support. By offering a helping hand—both to your audience and your employees—you’re making an important investment in maintaining meaningful relationships that can flourish beyond the crisis.
What’s more, don’t hesitate to make a tangible social impact—47% of global consumers expect companies to support hospitals during the COVID-19 crisis. In your communications, you can highlight how you are giving back, but don’t make this a forced effort. It’s the real, helpful contribution that counts.
Supporting your business with a strong communication strategy matters in good times as well as the bad. Don’t act on your impulses and make sure that you are not staying silent, but rather communicating value. By caring, sharing, and communicating, your startup can manage the crisis well and even find new opportunities within it.
