While your message matters at all times, in unsettled times – pandemic, war, other uncertainty – that message matters more. All the facets of your company messaging. Your corporate message. The messages your executives send on social media. Your advertising messages. Corporate statements to stakeholders. Messages to customers. It all matters. It is your brand.
There is no better time than now to create a communication plan for your business. This plan guides how your company will communicate both every day as well as in times of crisis. Having a communication plan can help navigate difficult situations, such as what you might communicate about the crisis ongoing now in Ukraine.
The truth is that what is happening right now is about to change our world in ways we cannot foresee. And the specific answer to what you should communicate is… it depends. Is your business global or national? Do you have Russian suppliers or customers? Do you have Ukrainian suppliers or customers? Do you have Ukrainian or Russian staff? Do you have business outposts in Russia or Ukraine? Do your customers have expectations on your business’ behavior – such as no longer doing business with a country that invades the sovereign space of another nation?
Consideration of these factors will impact what you communicate, where you communicate it, and to whom you communicate the message. It's okay to take a pause and consider before you communicate. In fact, it would be smart business to do so, especially now.
What you say during the current crisis – during any crisis – will have a lasting effect on your brand’s reputation. Customers will remember how your business responds to any situation in which they have an emotional investment. The goal is for a company’s actions to align with its customers’ values.
A reasonable start to mindful business communication is running your messaging through this simple checklist:
1. Make sure facts are communicated. Opinions are personal; businesses don't have them.
2. Make sure any public-facing communications (social media, emails, advertising, etc.) are written with consideration of diverse viewpoints. (And it might be good to have a professional read over your draft.) Specifically, social media is potentially inflammatory and has the most potential for going “viral”, meaning out of your control. These micro-communications form the essence of your brand's identity; and they are searchable.
3. Make sure whomever communicates for the brand is well-prepared. This is not a time to shoot from the hip. Measured and thoughtful responses, on-target with your brand, are the way to go.
4. Make sure the brand actually needs to make a statement about whatever situation is currently making news. Not every business does. (This is particularly true for B2B businesses.)
5. Make sure staff (especially senior staff) is on-board with the tone and direction of the communication plan and briefed on how their personal use of social media could influence the perception of the brand. (While your views may be your own, how you present them showcases the judgment you were hired to uphold, and they reflect on your employer.) You may also find your staff is ready for a timely reminder of the company’s social media policies.
While common sense and politeness can go a long way in any communication, including business communications, a well-thought out plan is a better long-term business strategy.
There has never been a more critical time for creating a written communication plan, including a social media policy, than now. Take the time to make a communication plan. It will serve you every day as well as ensure you are prepared for the next crisis.
Alexandria Trusov is the Director of Marketing at Euthenia Manufacturing Group and a B2B marketing consultant to manufacturers and other B2B companies. Contact her at [email protected] or visit www.truinsightsconsulting.com.
