In the face of crises, whether on a global scale like COVID-19 or local scale such as an accident onsite at your facility, communication is paramount. What messages need to be crafted both internally and externally, and how should those be delivered?
Morgan Norris, Sr. Brand Strategist for TREW Marketing joins me in exploring how to communicate right, right now in the midst of COVID-19. But her advice rings true for any crisis your company may face.
Here are some of the highlights from this episode:
Employees need to feel safe. They want facts and specifics, such as what to do, expectations, and next steps. Communicate on two levels -- from the company (top-down) and from the direct manager (human-to-human). Consider staging remote versions of what were once physical meetings, such as a daily check in coffee break.
Customers need to know their needs will be met. Again, they want facts and specifics. How can you help your customer be success during this time? How can you mitigate their losses? Don't be the victim! Everyone is struggling. Make sure your language is proactive and helpful.
This is the time to innovate. Extra time and space has been created by COVID-19. How can you use this to try new things, approach a problem in a unique way, or heck just get around to all those great ideas you never had time for.
Morgan and I recorded this podcast from our respective home offices. While we are used to this, as TREW operates a virtual office, we don't usually have our families around. Her husband is also now working from home, and found an innovative solution to stand-in as his stand-up desk -- LOL!