How To Adapt Your PR Strategy For Covid-19
The escalation of the Covid-19 crisis from a small number of cases in China to a full-blown pandemic has significantly transformed every industry and every aspect of our daily lives. Similar to other industries, the pandemic forced even the PR industry to pivot and adapt. Teams across the world scrambled to change their social messaging to be relevant to the prevailing circumstances. Moving ahead, it’s even more critical that businesses align their communication strategies to survive and grow in these chaotic times.
The right PR firm will help you adapt your PR strategy for the uncertain year ahead and shape your vision and direction. As headlines about coronavirus dominate the prime-time news, it’s become even more challenging to create effective marketing and PR plans and implement accordingly.
Here are some valuable ways in which PR firms can help companies reinvent their strategies for the new digital world:
- Structuring a Story
The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in heightened fears with travel brought to an abrupt halt, crashing stock markets, an overwhelmed healthcare system, and grocery stores struggling to re-stock as consumers resort to panic buying. Thus, there has been plenty of news stories for reporters to cover at length. Taking this into consideration, it’s important to be judicious in your manner of storytelling and gauge whether this will be the right time to tell your story at all.
Capitalizing on somebody’s misfortune will not shed a positive light on you and so, leveraging the crisis to your own profit will do you more harm than good. Reaching out to a PR firm to help you structure a relevant story for your brand will be an advisable path to take.
- Monitor the News Cycle
Media interest in the coronavirus pandemic will rise indefinitely. Crafting messages without knowing the news cycle and ongoing social conversations will not be a good idea. And now it’s even worse. Since journalists and reporters are constantly active on social platforms, it’s imperative that companies follow media on social channels and also work with their respective social media teams to integrate social listening. This will help companies create timely and impactful pitches and storylines. For example, currently, consumers are seeking fitness and wellness tips. Or get an expert PR firm to craft your pitch to be relevant in the current circumstances.
- Embrace New Tools for Collaboration
Effective communication is at the core of effective, resilient teams. And as remote working seems to be emerging as the norm in the coming times, enhancing internal team collaboration has rightly become a priority. Rope in a PR firm to help you select the appropriate collaboration tool which can be implemented to improve internal communication in your team to ensure every member is on the same page.
- Focus on the Fundamentals
If you are pushing back or delaying the announcement or unveiling of any major campaign, it does not necessarily have to mean that you become entirely dormant. In the current situation, in case your messaging doesn’t stack up or seems inappropriate, then a messaging overhaul exercise could be the next step in order. Also, acquire consensus from the key stakeholders in the company so that everyone agrees to the current brand positioning, and contribute to developing materials that shall redirect to this foundation. Or hire a PR firm to create the content that can be pushed out at a steady pace – either now or later.
- Leverage Existing Customers
Forecasting how the post-pandemic world may look like is nearly impossible, given the pace and pattern in which the crisis is unfolding. Hence, in such a case scenario, companies must focus on creating a long-term PR strategy. Also, nurture your existing customer base to maintain your sales and engagement cycle rather than putting in efforts to gain new customers. Use marketing tactics, such as hosting a webinar or sending personalized newsletters, or hire a PR firm to develop a more personal relationship with your audience.
Overall, one must remember that all companies, especially brands such as yours, are poised for the long haul. Building a brand’s credibility, visibility, market position, thought leadership, and reputation requires time, effort, consistent dedication, and perseverance. Media Mantra is a leading PR firm that can help you bolster your PR strategy in these distressful times and help position your brand for the future. History bears testimony to the fact that some of the most renowned brands began and flourished during tough times and if history continues to guide us, then we shall see more innovations emerge in years to come.
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