[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/03\/19\/messaging-with-impact-during-crisis\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/03\/19\/messaging-with-impact-during-crisis\/","headline":"Black swan communications: Messaging with impact during a crisis","name":"Black swan communications: Messaging with impact during a crisis","description":"Communication is critical; more so than ever before. Learn the best practices and strategies for messaging with impact during a crisis.","datePublished":"2020-03-19","dateModified":"2024-04-12","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/gay-flashman\/#Person","name":"Gay Flashman","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/gay-flashman\/","identifier":404,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/45028dca6eadbf0e0c0e94a4f6d81a995ee65adb682c5db56897bfa9b49d6433?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/45028dca6eadbf0e0c0e94a4f6d81a995ee65adb682c5db56897bfa9b49d6433?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Future of Commerce","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","width":172,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/black-swan-1.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/black-swan-1.jpg","height":375,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/03\/19\/messaging-with-impact-during-crisis\/","about":["COVID-19 and Business","Government + Public Sector"],"wordCount":1923,"articleBody":"We’re in extreme and unusual times. Over the next few weeks and months we’re likely to experience and witness mass lay-offs, business collapses, personal crises, and black swan events that will forever change how we do business and interact as a global society. How do we begin communicating about this, let alone messaging with impact?I never expected to write that kind of paragraph. Even now I wonder whether I’m over-reacting.But it seems that this is an existential threat; something that none of us in this generation has ever encountered. At this stage there’s no rule book, no great blog with all the answers, no post on Google that will nail it \u2013 there’s only a sensible and considered approach based on our experience and knowledge as leaders and communicators.How companies – and leaders – respond and communicate in this crisis will inform their legacy and reputation for years.Communication is critical; more so than ever before. I can\u2019t promise I have all of the answers \u2013 none of us can – but I’m sharing some guidance and examples of how others are speaking to their people, their clients, and their broader stakeholders during this challenging time.Please feel free to chime in with guidance, advice, and support – let’s face it – we all need it.Messaging with impact: First, set up your communications teamFor larger organizations, you\u2019ll likely already have your comms team and a strategy in place, but no-one can claim to have the experience of responding to a pandemic like the coronavirus. However, when structuring your core team to assure you’ll be messaging with impact, think about the following points:Meet regularly: Virtual will be the norm for most as we move into the next stage of the spread of COVID-19. I’ve been meeting each day with my senior team to discuss coronavirus for more than three weeks now and managing a considered cascade of messaging to our team across multiple digital channels, and in person.Take a 360-degree view: Think around all the issues for your business, team, and clients – each time you meet. Put yourself in their shoes to help calibrate your messages. What questions will people be asking? If there are multiple streaming issues, what’s the next, most imminent, that you need to communicate on? Balance honest realism and pragmatism with nuance and compassion.Think a few steps ahead: We can\u2019t know what\u2019s around the corner, but many of us can anticipate how this pandemic will impact our businesses. Be swift and considered in your decisions and try to pre-empt questions where you can.Establish a regular pulse of comms: Look for help where you can if you don\u2019t have a dedicated communications team. Seek volunteers or reach out to your network to try to find guidance.Communicate your plan: Many businesses and companies have chosen to move ahead of the government\u2019s guidance \u2013 this is an opportunity to show decisive action as a leader and to lead from the front with your own plan and approach.Communicate regularly and routinelyWhen thinking about messaging with impact, remember, your teams, shareholders, and clients will be looking to you for clear, open communication. In this situation, make sure you’re communicating more, not less.Be on the front foot where you can, anticipating the next challenge for the business and building a response in advance:Increase the cadence of your communications: If you currently message once a week as a CEO, increase that, or even consider daily comms if your organization or business is particularly badly hit. Be regular and timely with the delivery. This will minimize questions and uncertainty among all stakeholders.Create content: Update your website \u2013 consider having a section on your front page or clearly marked. Deliver clear and sensible information about how you are responding as an organization. You cannot answer everyone\u2019s questions, but do what you can to work through FAQs and obvious concerns of clients and stakeholders.Live updates: Create a live document that can be shared and kept open with regular updates on your business response \u2013 you might choose to share this with your wider stakeholders. Be as transparent as you can be, but cautious where required. Alternatively, create a blog page that you regularly update with information for key stakeholders.Cascade your comms: Create a team that can cascade down your information and share it to distributed networks and remote teams. Do you have WhatsApp groups you can create, or ambassadors who can help to disseminate messages to those people and staff who might not be able to access your website or traditional comms?Create bullet point guidance: If you have a distributed management team or workforce who have to share messaging verbally to large groups or teams, then supply crib sheets or bullet points to guide them on what to say. This will ensure there is a consistent message to all teams around your organization and that misinformation and rumors will not spread.Share health guidance: Share with your internal teams the details of where they can find up to date and fact-based health information. This will help to quash rumors and avoid the sharing of false reports on social media. Use the WHO\u00a0for health information, the World Economic Forum\u2019s\u00a0COVID Action Platform,\u00a0or\u00a0WEF Agenda\u00a0for business impact and context.Comms for all stakeholders must be refined when messaging for impactAs you develop or refine your plan, break out each of your separate audiences to ensure your messaging takes into account their particular concerns or needs; everyone in your business community will be feeling the pressure in different ways \u2013 some personal, some professional.Your messages to staff will differ \u2013 in detail terms \u2013 from those that you disseminate for stakeholders or suppliers, for instance.Be agile: This is a fast-moving situation. In your live document, map each of your audiences and agree on key messages for all, along with the associated regularity of comms.Tune in to specific needs:\u00a0What cultural issues, or language issues should you be mindful of? Think through how each of your messages will land with your target audience.Demonstrate action: You might not have all, or any, of the answers at this stage, but tell people that you’re working to find solutions. As you craft your messages, ensure they are direct and clear, but don\u2019t lose touch of the need for empathy. \u201cI know the COVID-19 pandemic is concerning for all of us,\u201d writes HP CEO Antonio Neri on LinkedIn. \u201cI am working closely Hewlett Packard Enterprise leaders to ensure we are responding quickly and keeping our team members, customers, and partners safe.\u201dThis shows action, and compassion – both of which are desperately needed in times such as these.Finding the right tone: Stay human\u00a0We’re all in this together, and many people are struggling with a range of issues \u2013 they might be worried about their jobs, their family, their future, isolation. As Bren\u00e9 Brown wrote on LinkedIn: \u201cFear and anxiety can drive us to become very self-focused. This global pandemic is a real case of \u201cgetting sick together\u201d or \u201cstaying well together.\u201d\u201dSay how you feel:\u00a0Anxiety is a big issue in this situation for all of us \u2013 I know I\u2019m feeling anxious, and many more people will feel the same. Don\u2019t be afraid to share that message \u2013 we are all human.Use compassionate language:\u00a0Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella uses emphatic and human language\u00a0in his LinkedIn post: \u201cWe deeply consider the effect on people in our communities in every decision we make.\u201dPlug into your vulnerability:\u00a0Calibration of your messaging to people who might be suffering or anxious is critical. If you know this is not your strong point, bring a team member in to support you with reviewing messaging to ensure it will resonate with stakeholders. \u201cStay safe, stay well, and take care,\u201d Alan Jope, chief executive of Unilever,\u00a0reportedly wrote in his email\u00a0to staff working remotely.Step up: Many businesses are struggling, or will struggle, in the next few weeks and months. Many will go out of business. If you can step up and demonstrate in your communications AND actions that you have a true sense of purpose as a business, then this will build enduring trust.Microsoft has donated $1million to a regional COVID-19 Response Fund in Seattle, an area already greatly impacted by the virus.\u00a0President Brad Smith wrote: \u201cAs our community focuses on public health needs during the COVID-19 outbreak, it\u2019s important that we also rally together to address the unmet economic needs developing around us.\u201dEstablish or improve your systemsIn addition to business continuity messaging to your teams and your public-facing messaging to clients and partners that might be on your website, you’ll need a range of other communication outlets to deliver key messages and allow your own teams to communicate with each other.Messaging with impact during crisis:\u00a0Define your systems: Find a system to share instant notifications and urgent messages to your core teams that doesn\u2019t necessarily rely on email \u2013 group chat, IM, or Slack can help speed up the sharing of business-critical or health alerts.Have a channel plan:\u00a0Establish a plan about\u00a0how\u00a0to use each channel \u2013 one channel might be operational, another for sharing documents, another for instant engagement and group chat, for instance.Broaden your channel approach: Ideally try to share your messages across multiple channels to reach as many as your stakeholders as possible.Simplify content development:\u00a0Create templates that you can update easily for your social media channels with updated notices or information.Use a range of formats: Consider what is most effective and most straightforward in terms of format in this type of crisis. Many business leaders are using fast-turnaround, simple video on social media channels to communicate clearly and directly to their people. Video can help build a quick connection and is the most shareable form of media.Ensure there\u2019s a release valve: Leaders must message from the top that letting off steam, or \u201csocializing virtually\u201d whilst WFH is necessary. We have set up a couple of Facebook Workplace channels to enable our team members to family photos and non-business related comments, for instance.Messaging with impact 101: Communicate your plan for the futureWhilst we are in the eye of the storm it may feel challenging \u2013 or inappropriate \u2013 to consider the longer term. This is the time for a considered balance in your comms. It\u2019s important that your people know you’re still planning sensibly for the future – and flexing with the current situation – to ensure the long term of your business is secure.Be explicit and clear: \u201cOur top priority is keeping our employees, customers, and other stakeholders safe while doing whatever is reasonable to keep Ford running,\u201d Ford senior managers have told staff in an email. This balances the focus of attention now, with the needs of the business in the long term.Lean on your network and share:\u00a0Give and help where you can.\u00a0Paul Daugherty, group Chief Executive at Accenture has reached out to his fellow techies on LinkedIn: \u201cYOU are essential in assuring success of the mission-critical systems and data that power businesses, governments and keep our world running. YOU can\/must lead.\u201d He signs off: \u201cWe need you. And we need to rely on each other.\u201dCheck in on your customers.Understand what they need, then deliver on those needs.Learn how."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2020","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"03","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/\/03\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"19","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/\/03\/\/19\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Black swan communications: Messaging with impact during a crisis","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/03\/19\/messaging-with-impact-during-crisis\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]