PR Insiders

Many digital pros recommend making sure your content is not tone-deaf in this moment. That’s always good advice, of course. What’s critical, though, is understanding strategies behind when and how to engage appropriately and effectively. While planning digital efforts for tomorrow or even this week is not the way to go, you should be looking at longer range tactics and strategies.

Want more evidence that the actions of one person can change the world? We offer the story of the late Marilyn Laurie, a stay-at-home mom who later became a titan of the PR world as a top communicator at AT&T. Not coincidentally, she also played a major role in organizing the first Earth Day celebrations in NYC, in 1970. Her former colleague at AT&T, Dick Martin, tells us how Laurie helped communicate about the initial Earth Day.

Influencers want to influence, but the pandemic might not be the best moment, unless you are a health care influencer, says restaurant and food influencer Jonathan Cheban, aka Foodgod. Instead, post judiciously, he says. In addition, he recommends influencers remain authentic and true to their brand, which always is good advice.

A corporate communicator turns to exercise and skills she has learned from it to face life, personal and professional, during coronavirus. Here’s how endurance, humanity, determination and other aspects of Peloton training helped a communicator adopt a positive attitude about the future.

The pandemic has brought internal communications to the forefront. Even though this moment has changed many things, the communicator’s struggle remains getting heard through the noise. As a change of pace, some internal communicators are turning to pre-recorded private podcasts to keep employees informed.

Our top professional priority is limiting damage from coronavirus through our work as communicators. In addition, though, the pandemic is giving off a bevy of data about how well our crisis plans are working. It’s imperative we track our successes and failures as we prepare for the next crisis.

In certain parts of Europe, where the novel coronavirus is a few weeks ahead of US hotspots, audiences have begun to reach the information and emotional saturation point. Many are no longer watching the news. PR pros have found it’s important to maintain a positive approach in their internal and external communications.

We must fight against the inclination to label diversity, equity and inclusion as “nonessential” at a time when it is more relevant and pertinent than ever.

Using a catastrophe as a news hook to pitch journalists makes the PR pro and the company the communicator is pitching look callous and opportunistic.

With so many companies transitioning to online activities, standing out can become difficult. Making these virtual experiences fun, human, authentic and competitive can help companies maintain and attract new customers. In addition, companies can gather useful information about customers while displaying interest in the community. Customers likely will hold on to these memories well after these dark days are over.