That's it, panic sets in… Announcements are multiplying, the phone is ringing off the hook, emails are pouring in. It's red alert! A crisis is what's happening today that we didn't anticipate yesterday. And the answer is never obvious. We'd like to think about it, to give ourselves time. But we have to react. Etymologically, the word "crisis" (from the Greek) krisis) It evokes the moment of decision-making. But what decisions should be made? And when? Faced with this tsunami of information, the communications professional is a much-needed guide within the company. To help you manage the crisis and the recovery with a touch of serenity, the We Are COM team offers you its checklist for communication that goes beyond lockdown 🙂
✅ 1 – I disconnect my current communication
📌 Were your posts ready to be published? Now everything needs to be reviewed… Yes, the first good reflex is to remove anything that is no longer appropriate for all of your target audiences. (points of sale, sites, scheduled posts on the Social Mediahome screens, SMS, newsletters, emails automatic ads Press relations…). But be sure to properly list the content that is temporarily obsolete for the post-crisis period. 😉
📌 The 2rd stage ? Engage in dialogue with empathy! This is the key to good external crisis communication. However, we don't cut ourselves off from the rest of the world. The company must unite and must make this known.We must answer questions, both internal and external, factually, with tact and caution, but above all, we must be attentive to even the faintest signals, relaying expectations, concerns, and complaints. We therefore take this opportunity to activate your monitoring unit now.
✅ 2 – I inform the external audience, I value the internal audience
📌 The best communication response is undoubtedly the one that accurately reflects reality and delivers information precisely, without sensationalism. To formulate it, we coordinate by internal, by multiplying meetings and calls. Intentions give way to decisions. It is time to communicate on: best practices, specific measures taken by the company, the means that allow it to ensure its business continuity plan (BCP)...
You will need to deploy your entire communication toolkit, from display advertising campaigns for prevention to Google My Business listings to change your store hours. Communication is then framed within an approach of utility and reassurance., adapting it to each stakeholderIt's even an opportunity to further enhance its brand image by making life easier for its customers… Certainly the best way to provide concrete evidence of your famous reason for being!
📌 And what about the leader in all of this? The objective is to provide him with a specific platform to speak about the company's responsibility and commitment, separating the internal and external aspects. the external… From press releases to Tweets via the posts LinkedInRegardless of the channel, as long as the messages get through. Leaders in lockdown can spread out their public statements, but they must prioritize them carefully. When it comes to mobilizing and thanking employees, priority should be given to them!
📌 We continue to maintain contact with the pressto publish statements on practical matters. All of this is guided by internal and external feedback that is gathered as it happens.
✅ 3 – I am preparing for the reopening
📌 This is certainly the most complex phase. How can we put ourselves in the shoes of our target audiences during the easing of lockdown? How can we remobilize our teams after the sprint of crisis communication? Faced with uncertainty, taking a step back is not an option for properly preparing your communication plan (corporate communication(commercial communication, new services, new partnerships, etc.) and consider the various scenarios for exiting the crisis. More than ever, it is necessary to maintain relationships internally and with partners.
📌 Is a recovery on the horizon? You can then reconnect with your communication strategy (hence the importance of having taken stock beforehand) and roll out your action plan with agility. A key point to consider: the way you phrase things. Are yesterday's words still the right ones? Even if you've laid the groundwork, adjustments are essential. What's true today isn't necessarily true tomorrow. In short, we continue to adapt quite simply, as we always have.
The conclusion ?
Today, all businesses are impacted by this unprecedented health crisis. And your management might be tempted to cut the communications budget. It is up to us communicators to position communication as a spearhead of the exit from the crisis and to defend its added value within the company. This is a way to make up for lost revenue. While we wait for the recovery, let's reflect on Jefferson's maxim…
He who stops advertising to save money is like he who stops a clock to save time .
