Messaging During a Global Crisis
Are you wondering how to show up in your social media channels during the COVID-19 global pandemic? It can feel be overwhelming to figure out what the perfect message is during times like this. I’m here to tell you anything with sincerity is better than nothing at all. Now is the perfect time to share your message. I’ve put together some tips on how you can show up with care.
It’s smart to step back and use the crisis time to refocus, create a new plan, and get the necessary training…but it’s also a time to connect with your audience. Your audience doesn’t expect perfection during a crisis, they want to see that you’re still around and still pushing forward…even if it’s in a new and completely different way.
- Keep your mission at the heart of your messages. Show how you’re handling the crisis. Share how you’re pivoting your goals or services. Remind your audience what the why is for your organization. Tell how you’re serving your audience during the crisis. Do all of these things with your mission at the forefront. Communicate your mission – verbatim, through visuals, with stories, and any other way you can to continue showing up with your mission at the center of your messaging.
- Focus on progress, not perfection. Your social media channels don’t need to be a highlight reel of perfectly staged and Photoshopped pictures. More than ever, people are craving real life. They want to see that their favorite brand is run by humans just like them. Parents struggling to find work-life-homeschool balance. Or someone single trying to find new ways to keep themselves busy. They aren’t discouraged by piles of paperwork in your newly created “home office” or the new “crisis hair style” that resembles so many all over the country. In times of crisis, people have ample grace to give and are looking for shared experiences with others.
- Know your message is needed. Remember, it doesn’t need to be fully polished or completely vetted. It needs to be real and honest and connect with your audience. In times of crisis, everyone is looking for a connection with others. If you’re trying to connect with your audience and form lasting relationships, speak from the heart of your organization. Remove all the barriers and buzzwords and focus on your why. There’s someone who is searching for that message and looking for you.
- Help the world find joy. In times of a crisis, people are looking for joy. They are looking for humor, looking to see the good in the world, and looking for an escape from the crisis. Joy can be showing the employees behind the company. Show the reality of what your company looks like during this crisis – the workers wearing full PPE gear or a video conference call or someone working from home. Limit the memes or GIFs as they don’t typically fit into your brand image. Instead, use real pictures with positive messages.
- Give people content to read when they are scrolling. During a crisis, people use social media to stay current. As we’ve seen, people consumed A LOT of information in rapid-fire and then needed to be surrounded by happy things. Be a source of non-crisis content. As they look for content to read, give them something!
If you wait for the perfect time and perfect message, you’ll never hit publish. Let your audience know you’re still out there, working in whatever capacity you’re able. Start small, be consistent, and offer them a glimmer of hope. Take them along on your journey of re-discovery and you both navigate the world during a crisis.
What tips would you add? What brands have you admired during the crisis?
