Top PR Tips for Marketing in a Crisis
Scot Crocker
Crocker Branding
www.crockerbranding.com
- Open new markets. When some markets close, others open. Be quick.
- Promote your business. Don’t stop marketing or advertising. You’ll be ahead of the game when the economy turns around.
- Look for good talent. It was hard to find them when the economy was roaring on. Now there could be good people looking for work.
Cecily Hastings
Founder and Publisher of Inside Sacramento
- Increase marketing or advertising during a crisis. Don’t consider cutting it unless you plan to go out of business—this is like removing your watch battery to save time!
- Do your best stay positive and focus on the needs of your customers. If they succeed and survive, chances are you will, too.
- Carefully identify your own resources and make a plan to adjust and adapt your business as needed. And then set goals and make a plan for the next weeks, months and years ahead. Reevaluate results frequently to see if you are on task and meeting your goals. If not, double down and adjust.
Jane Einhorn
JE Public Relations
janeeinhorn@gmail.com
- Constantly keep in touch with your clients and customers using hone, text and emails. Be helpful and considerate as best you can!
- Step up your social media presence with helpful and positive social media messages. But make sure to get the tone right for this extraordinary time.
- Start planning for what your business will do in the future after this immediate crisis ends. Take the time now to develop strategies to best deploy your resources, no matter how limited.
Patrick Harbison
Patrick Harbison Public Relations
www.patrickharbisonpublicrelations.com
- Positive Brand Messaging
Don’t leverage an international crisis to promote your brand or try to boost sales. Steer clear of things like COVID-19 sales, discounts or promotions–customers and constituents don’t like businesses that take advantage of bad situation that is impacting so many people. Stay positive and keep your promotions above the line (i.e. free deliveries)–we’re all in this crisis together and people need to hear that from all the brands they interact with.
- Use the Time for Content Development
During normal business days we’re so busy juggling incoming requests that we don’t have time to build a library of content that could be valuable for our customers and constituents. (i.e. FAQs, videos, articles, etc.) Take this time to develop valuable content that can be used now and in the future when things return to normal. Show your subject matter expertise for your specific service/product.
- Crisis Communications/Planning
Now is a good time to remember that it’s not a matter of if a crisis will happen but when – so it’s a reminder that all organizations and businesses need to have an up-to-date crisis communications plan including the who, what and how of their business continuity.
Lucy Eidam Crocker
Lucy Company PR
www.lucycompanypr.com
- Appoint one primary spokesperson who communicates effectively, calmly and answers questions with authority and facts.
- Communicate regularly with new, fact-checked information through every means possible.
- Monitor verbal and online commentary to answer questions or dispel incorrect information.
Traci Rockefeller Cusack
T-Rock Communications
www.trockcommunications.com
- Stay engaged with your audience but be sensitive to the tone of your messaging to ensure it is reflective of the situation at hand.
- Be a calming influence in the community by sharing company highlights that tout longevity, trustworthiness and brand loyalty.
- When it comes to media requests, think long-term and remain as accessible and responsive as possible…find a way to make it happen!
