Any sort of crisis can make or break a brand, but public health crises can be especially difficult to navigate. Karen Wicker, president & CEO of Candor, says surviving economic turbulence while dealing with the uncertainty surrounding the virus spread begins with strategic, consistent and fact-based communications.
Q: What should businesses be talking about as the crisis moves forward?
A: Always speak clearly with internal and external audiences. Talk about what you know and what you plan to address down the road, defer to others when appropriate and don’t speculate. In any crisis, it’s better to be overprepared and proactive than underprepared and reactive. Plan for every possible scenario, but be ready to pivot as necessary. Businesses and organizations that build goodwill among employees, clients and the community in exchange for some short-term pain will best weather the storm.
Q: The public has been flooded with messaging about responses to the outbreak. How can local businesses share their plans without adding to the noise?
A: We are beyond the point where a “business-as-usual” message is sufficient. Owners, CEOs and C-suite executives need to get in front of this crisis and clearly communicate an action plan with employees, clients and stakeholders. Embrace internal communications teams, and lean on the advice of outside professionals if the resources aren’t available in-house. This is not the time to go dark. People want assurances.
Q: How should businesses position messaging around the outbreak?
A: When possible, messaging should go beyond the basic, “We’re taking all necessary precautions.” Every social media post and marketing email will be seen through a coronavirus filter. Leaders should always ask themselves if messages are made at the right time with the right tone, but even more so during a public health crisis.
It’s also a great time to get creative! Can you live-stream an event so audiences can still participate? What about offering curbside services, whether dinner or dry-cleaning? Can you move a fundraising luncheon to the digital space? Everyone must be willing to adapt.
Q: What would you say to business owners who are afraid even mentioning the crisis will hurt their profits?
A: Don’t fall into the trap of downplaying the potential health effects of the virus to protect profits, especially in life-or-death circumstances. Be a company the public is proud to support. When the crisis passes, you’ll be remembered for how you handled it and will either be applauded or criticized for it. People respect and trust businesses which are honest and forthright — they notice when the right thing is done for the right reasons. Acting appropriately now will benefit brands in the long-run.
Karen Wicker
Karen protects reputations and provides candid counsel using her 30 years’ experience in communications. As a former television reporter turned public relations practitioner, she gets giddy when conducting media training and excels in crisis communication.
