By Mary Nguyen

The pre-pandemic rules of engagement no longer apply, and you’re scratching your head at how to steer your business through the minefield of Covid-19.

It’s a given that a large part of how your business will come through the pandemic depends on how well you connect with audiences. In this high-stakes game even the smallest misstep could have devastating consequences on your bottom line.

 The realities of the Covid-affected world present a serious challenge but it’s no reason to shy away from connecting with audiences. For those willing to take the lead, Covid also introduces some golden opportunities for your business to really shine. Be ready to solidify your relationship with key audiences with these following tips:

Consider the timing of your communications

In a post-pandemic world, the field of communications requires its practitioners to be agile, proactive and sensitive to the rapidly changing environment. This added volatility means that it’s easier than ever to damage your business’ hard-earned reputation in just seconds when a message hits the wrong note.

 One too many campaigns have been derailed by a badly timed message. At best your message could go unnoticed, at worst your business goes viral for all the wrong reasons.

Case in point: in 2011 amid a serious industrial relations dispute that caused its entire fleet to be grounded, Qantas launched a social media campaign to ask customers to share their luxury experiences while flying with the airline. It didn’t take long for customers to co-opt the hashtag #QantasLuxury to flood Twitter with tonnes of angry, sarcastic tweets.

Avoid committing the same faux pas by staying in the loop with the news cycle. On the bright side, don’t be afraid to take advantage of current events and time your messages accordingly. Global company Proctor & Gamble gained major kudos for its Mother’s Day Olympics campaign which also coincided with the 2012 London Olympics. P&G’s message of support for mothers resonated everywhere, a sure win for the savvy corporation.

Does keeping up with social media and a 24/7 news cycle sound like too much? A dedicated public relations professional has the right tools at hand to keep on top of all that goes on and could advise you on how to pick the right moment for communications.

Understand the audience

The sheer scale and speed with which Covid has taken over the world has caused myriad disruptions not in the least to the mental health of people all over the world. A recent study undertaken by researchers at Columbia University demonstrated that Covid has caused stress and anxiety to skyrocket. When stressed, a form of tunnel vision occurs where people were only able to perceive on what was right in front of them. Stress also has the effect of making people less able to focus.

With this in mind, it’s important to keep messages as simple as possible to ensure maximum impact. When businesses communicate with sensitivity and greater awareness of the audience’s potential frame of mind it creates an impression of certainty and reassurance. Don’t forget to make sure your message is making the right impression by running it through several different sounding boards before hitting send. By communicating with positivity, authenticity and empathy you’ll be rewarded with goodwill which will help build a loyal following further down the line.

Keep it simple

The simpler the message, the more impact it has. Simple messages are powerful and easy to replicate across different platforms. 

Strategic consulting company McKinsey states that audience attention is finite at the onset of a crisis. High levels of uncertainty, perceived threats and fear sometimes leads to “cognitive freezing”, where abstract or complicated information is difficult for people to process. The takeaway lesson is that in order to be effective, communicators need to be mindful of sticking to one theme per post, repeat often and space out different messages over a period of time.

It also pays to make sure the right channel of communication is used and messages are tweaked to suit each one. To stay consistent across the board consider checking messages and preview them several times before sending.

Bonus tip - enlist an expert

A good public relations practitioner will always be on the ball in terms of what’s happening in the current media environment and will have insight into how communications will be received. They are best placed to help build rapport with audiences and to capitalise on opportunities that may arise. In a crowded environment, your brand’s reputation is what sets you apart from the rest. As cosmetics giant Elizabeth Arden one said: “Reputation makes customers”.