FALL CLEANING: WHAT COVID MEANS FOR BUSINESSES AND COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGIES
Jeff Lutz – VP, Corporate Communications & Content
Cleaning, or taking account of our actions over the past six months, feels like a chore that we keep pushing off. After all, we all jumped feet first into COVID’s impacts and managed each wrinkle with the precision of a ninja and the comfort of a fleece blanket. At least after the initial shock wore off!
So how did we do it?
Internal communications – we tested our strategies and built new ones to keep a suddenly remote workforce connected. Our social channels – we threw our calendars out the window and thought very hard before clicking send on every post. Our communications technologies – we dusted off old subscriptions and created new ones to handle the needs of disparate offices.
No, we’re not just talking about Hart. We’re talking about all of us, the cobblers who spent one week after the next putting out fires while maintaining our culture. The communicators who stressed over every word in a company statement or the voice of an executive.
We’ve all been in THAT mode. That feeling that you’re jamming on projects or crises, and then – it’s suddenly September. Where did the year go? How do we push ourselves to meet our objectives and not leave others behind as we pursue those goals?
This feeling is not a unique one, and whether we’re in a pandemic or not, our businesses must be treated like our home and office environments – it’s time for fall cleanup. It’s the time we ask ourselves: What do we throw away? What do we keep? What do we need to change immediately?
At Hart, we are big advocates of preparation – from crisis communications plans to brand assessments to marketing plans. In each case, we always begin with the search for insights, for those morsels that present a benchmark for future activities. Now, in the midst of a pandemic, businesses have had to scramble for six months to stay active, stay connected and in some cases, stay afloat. That’s a reality, and whether you’re feeling confident in your efforts since March or you’re hoping for a rapid vaccine, it is time to move your efforts from cobbling to thriving.
A Checklist For 5 Key Areas Of Communication
To assist in this pivot, we have put together a helpful checklist that focuses on five key communications areas. Consider this a push to put a little mental – and elbow – grease into action. As you examine the checklist, consider the aspects that can be implemented immediately, as well as those that might require a bit more consideration.
A lot of organizations are feeling pressure right now to determine the best way to communicate – internally and externally – through the COVID-19 public health crisis. Hart is prepared to assist marketers with relevant internal communications, brand messaging and positioning, digital marketing, content marketing, social media and media relations.
If you’d like counsel in any of these areas, contact us or go to hartinc.com/resources for more information.
