Now, more than ever, it’s vital to have a smart communications and marketing strategy. Here’s one approach to reflect on.
by Kathy Kyle Bonomini
Since the lockdown began, I’ve been advising my clients across four different sectors: charity, education, sustainability, and technology - on how to respond to the crisis from an integrated branding and a crisis communications perspective.
I’ve distilled my recommendations into five simple ‘truths’ that I live by, whether I’m working in the midst of a global pandemic, or in calmer times. When we examine our work in this way, through truths that are evidence-based and results orientated, then we can be more effective in empowering our own and our clients’ success.
Truth #1: Focus on your people. Focus on their wellness and their needs first. Consider your stakeholders at every level. How does this crisis impact internal and external audiences at every touch point? (Make a list. I love a spreadsheet.) How are your services impacted and delivered? (Map it out!) How can you be supportive? Who on your team needs help? Who on your team can step up and help you?
Truth #2: Focus on your Brand. Who you are and what you do as an entity are unlikely to change in a crisis. However, take time to reflect, focus on, and hone your messaging. Perhaps your mission will become even more relevant – or your services even more crucial to a group of vulnerable people, and it will be critical for you to share important news, services or information with your audience. Storytelling is vital - be sure you know yours and share it across all touch-points.
Truth #3: Focus on the Power of the Pivot. Nimble organisations who can pivot their operations in the face of adversity are the new innovators. Examples of addressing “how” the work is accomplished includes sharing how a local authority is generating cost savings or improving public health outcomes. Perhaps your company has shifted operations to meet the coronavirus crisis needs: schools making masks and goggles for hospitals; an LA implementing a cost saving technology to address wellness issues; or a charity moving training and mentoring completely online due to isolation measures. I recommend developing a scalable digital campaign to promote and share your efforts.
Truth #4: Focus on Building Brand Ambassadors. This is the time to invest in developing and promoting your organisation’s work across digital channels, and creating a community of brand evangelists. I recommend developing an editorial calendar to cross-promote content across relevant digital channels with your captive lockdown audience. Not everyone will use the same channels, so think about the actions you want them to take, and ask your audience to create, curate, and share content using a branded hashtag. ‘User’ (not a fan of this term - they are your customers) generated content is key to creating brand ambassadors – now is the time to build relationships with customers you may not have not had access to in the past. You have a captive audience, reach out to them.
Truth #5: Focus on Celebrating Success. Invite your audience to share their experiences and meaningful feedback. Collect testimonials and share them. Evaluate how you did and work to improve on your next campaign. And celebrate the success of your team. You can’t do any of this without them.
Home Truths
Ultimately, a crisis should bring into focus your mission and value system of work. The ‘What’ you do should be genuine, and it shouldn’t have changed even with a global pandemic. The ‘How’ of what you do is your opportunity to be creative, nimble, flexible and scalable. I recommend you pivot where you can and respond to the crisis. But your mission, vision and values should remain constant.
I’ve reflected on what’s coming next and I think that we are going to see a rise in the adoption of new technologies and governments, both here and abroad, investing locally.
I am really fortunate that those I know and love are safe (thus far) from the coronavirus. For those who have had symptoms, or who have been in hospital or in ICU with the coronavirus, I am happy to report that they all have made full recoveries and are now at home resting. I am so very thankful for the NHS and for the amazing carers, everywhere.
From a work perspective, the gravity of our situation illustrates the virtues of distributed teams, flexible work, or just scaling down of physical offices. Obstacles provide us with opportunities to be creative. I hope that with the public’s experiences at home with new virtual technologies, people will also appreciate the potential value that innovative technology - and those who implement it - can have to empower communities.
Kathy Kyle Bonomini is an #UnAwards winner for Best Work by an Agency. She is the Co-Founder of Amplia Group. You can say hello on Twitter at @IamKathyKyle or on Instagram at @kathykylebonomini.
Pic via Internet Archive Book Images
