When I help a client communicate during a crisis or unforeseen issue, the client will often say something like, “We aren’t sure what to do, because this isn’t in our crisis plan.”
Then came 2020, and all of us business owners could say that doing business in a pandemic wasn’t in our plan. Now we’ve been working, living and (in some cases) schooling for a year as the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything. While we may never again witness another unprecedented — aren’t we all tired of that word? — global event like this one, this experience can help us prepare for other unforeseen events and issues.
When you write or rewrite your crisis plan for your business, consider adding these three lessons and implementing them before something you hadn’t planned for strikes again.
1. Staying up to date on technology pays off.
For a year or so before the pandemic, I had it on my “to do” list to get to know and make better use of video conference apps like Zoom and Skype. But I never got around to it. In March 2020, we all — and I do mean all — got a crash course in Zoom. While there has been some Zoom fatigue, being able to video conference has been a game-changer for companies and it’s so much more efficient than traveling to in-person meetings.
While I can’t wait to see colleagues and clients in person again, I plan to keep using Zoom, too. And I plan to research what technologies and apps I need to get to know next. Why wait until a crisis to find an app or software that can help my business right now?
2. Pivoting opens up new possibilities.
I didn’t pivot in my business. But many business owners did with virtual offerings, new product lines and entirely new businesses. For example, “ghost kitchens” made it easier for some entrepreneurs to enter the foodservice industry. Without the pandemic and our so-called new normal, that idea might never have been dreamed up.
I didn’t have to pivot. I was already working from home, and thankfully demand for communications and PR services stayed consistent. However, I often think about what a pivot would look like for me and my business. The pandemic has made it clear that we can’t always count on things to always stay the same. I’m going to keep challenging myself to think about what pivoting could look like for me. “If x happened, I would…”
3. Communicating effectively is everything.
I can’t tell you how many times in the last year, I’ve heard someone say that it all comes down to communication. And usually, it wasn’t because a company or organization was doing a great job at it. Communication really is everything. When it comes to communicating during a crisis, it’s important to start from within.
You can’t communicate effectively with your customers and the rest of the outside world if you aren’t first to communicate with your employees. They are your ambassadors, your front lines. How you communicate with your own team members — in good times as well as challenging times — can make your people feel incredibly connected and valued or just the opposite.
How do you want current and past employees talking about you in the world? The news you have to share might not always be what people want to hear, and people get that. But it’s important to deliver your message in a timely and transparent way.
When clients come to me for crisis communication advice, I always ask first about their employees. How are you communicating with them? I’m of the opinion that if you are drafting a media statement that employees should probably know about it before they hear or read about whatever issue you are dealing with in the news.
And from now on when clients come to me for crisis and issues management, I’m going to remind them that we’ve got this. Remember 2020?
