Stories by Nicole Schuman

Brands catering to families and especially children need to remember to tweak their normal methods of communication, particularly for a time of crisis.

This is a time when the public likely won’t mind over-communication as people clamor to learn everything they can to protect themselves and their families. And while every organization has its preferred method of distributing information to its audience, some are turning to podcasts for more comprehensive discussions around necessary information.

As employees adhere to a new world of work during the coronavirus outbreak, they look to employers to provide clear and consistent messaging regarding not only the day-to-day, but what’s coming next. This gives a great responsibility to company leadership and internal communications officers, who balance on a very tense tightrope of trust during these challenging days.

PR pros become part of a brand’s front line when events are cancelled or postponed. We asked communicators for tips and tactics about how to deliver postponement messages. In a health crisis such as coronavirus, they counsel crafting messages with empathy and positivity. In addition, having a plan for re-scheduling may help, as can streaming.

The day-to-day of communications work can wear on a practitioner. Pro bono work can be a nice distraction. In addition it can help build morale, community spirit and assist with recruitment. More important, of course, is the satisfaction and joy that giving back can bring.

Brands must be held responsible for the work they distribute, particularly when it revolves around an international cause or recognition day. National pizza day is one thing, but when the messaging revolves around something meaningful that can make a global impact, like International Women’s Day on March 8, a serious pause for thought and results needs to be considered.

PR pros know one of the top traits requested in a quality communicator is crisp, clean, error-free writing. Employees represent their companies through not only press releases and composed content, but also in social media posts and email. A grammatical error can send a campaign into a spiral. We’ve published many articles on becoming a better writer. We gathered some of the most popular tips so you could enjoy them today on National Grammar Day.  

If anything, the remaining candidates are throwing everything they’ve got into this Super Tuesday, igniting digital strategies from all corners of the democratic universe. You’d be hard pressed not to open Instagram or Facebook and yes, even Twitter, without seeing some sort of political trend, video or paid advertisement. We took a look at the diverse social media strategies each candidate harnesses. Some feel forced, while others emerged organically, completely separate from the official campaign team. Will they make a difference on Super Tuesday?

Since the coronavirus landed on U.S. shores, the media has been working overtime—not only describing the symptoms and areas affected to those seeking information, but also in regards to how the outbreak is impacting business across the board. Whether it be the dramatic stock market drop, large-scale event postponements or travel cancellations, organizations need to take stock of what’s most important to communicate to a concerned public.

In a wide-ranging address during day 2 of PRNEWS’ Crisis and Measurement Summit in Miami, political strategist Ana Navarro had positive and negative things to say about social media. In the end, though, she believes PR pros have a difficult but important mission to promote truth in messaging. “Don’t give up on the facts,” she said.