Communicating Coronavirus
Today I received 12 emails about coronavirus. How many did you get?
They were all from organisations and community groups that I'm a member of, or have affiliation with, and they were all telling me what steps they were taking at their end to combat COVID-19.
I want to share with you the one I thought was the best: goget.
As a media trainer, I teach crisis communications and this piece of communication nailed it. Let's take a look:
First, it sets a great tone. It's conversational, friendly and informal as well as being community-minded and comforting. But it's also something more.
When communicating in a crisis, it's crucial to include the following:
- Concern
- Context
- Action
- Call to Action
This section of the email contains Concern. The phrase we're all now being challenged and we'll get through this together demonstrates the empathy goget is feeling for its members. In a crisis, you can never demonstrate too much empathy. The more you show, the more connected your audience will feel to you. And if they're connected, they're more likely to listen to you.
This section also includes Context. It clearly states that the reason for this piece of communication is COVID-19. Seems obvious, I know, but it's always important to set the scene.
Here's the next section:
There's more Concern - taking the health and safety of our members, employees, partners and the broader community very seriously - and then it's all about Action.
Using a clear sub heading and bullet points, it states the steps goget is taking to reduce the likelihood of virus transmission through its fleet, and how it's managing its staff so that they stay well and can continue to service customers.
Then it goes on:
Here's the Call To Action section. The company has given its members clear guidance on what's expected of them, what they should do and where they can go for more information.
And finally:
It's back to Concern - showing more empathy in the face of disrupted travel plans - as well as maintaining the 'we're all in this together' comforting tone.
So breaking it down, this piece of communication in a crisis contains all four elements - Concern, Context, Action and Call To Action - which is why it reads so well.
What pieces of communication have you come across this week that have struck you as excellent? Or poor? Have you had to write any yourself, and how did you go about it? Feel free to share in the comments.
In the meantime if you need help crafting a message, I'm here.
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Christine Heard is a Media Skills Network accredited trainer and runs Heard Communication, a media and crisis training consultancy that works with big business, SMEs, start ups and no-for-profits.