News about the spread of the Corona virus has been coming thick and fast in recent weeks. The news fluctuates between panic and de-escalation. The current situation is also a balancing act for companies: how do you manage to communicate precautionary measures and yet not spread panic among your workforce? How do you inform your network of partners and customers sufficiently and effectively?
Here you will find the most important information on how to structure your crisis communication without losing the overview.

1. Internal Communication

Internal communication plays a crucial role in avoiding confusion and panic among the staff. Be transparent and inform all employees to the same extent and at the same time - via your intranet, internal e-mails or notices. Also address necessary precautionary measures at an early stage; explain which new rules apply in the company and give recommendations for action. Under the keyword "Corona virus checklist" you can already find overviews on the Internet with recommendations for action that you can use for your company. The "Handbook on Corporate Pandemic Planning" of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance contains a whole series of measures that are intended to offer support to large and medium-sized companies in particular.

2. Guidelines for the external communication create

Communication in times of crisis is also a challenge for employees. Create appropriate guidelines on how your staff should communicate with customers and partners about the impact of Corona. What language and terms can be used? This will give your staff more confidence in communicating with the outside world.
Of course, you should still ensure maximum transparency: will you be able to deliver for the time being or will customers have to expect certain restrictions? Through open and clear communication, you can secure the trust of your customers even in crisis situations.

3. Create you own Corona communication channels

In the best case, set up a separate telephone number and e-mail address that connects employees and clients directly with the person responsible in your company. This person should always be up to date on internal measures and general developments. Information about new regulations on sick leave, home office, etc. should also be provided here. For external communication, a landing page and a FAQ page are also recommended.

4. Preparations make

If the situation worsens, it is useful to have appropriate press releases, emails and texts for your website already at hand. So prepare for the communication of different scenarios such as the closure of individual locations, delivery bottlenecks, etc. and create information material.
Also test the emergency while you still have time to fix problems. Does the company's everyday work also function if, for example, all employees can perform tasks - as far as possible - in the home office?

5. Social media and News Monitoring

See what's happening in the news and on social media and update your communication channels regularly.

Crisis communication should play a central role in times like these. If you don't have enough staff and/or time, get help from experts. It is an investment that can save you a lot of time and trouble.

Sources:
JP | KOM GmbH
Straub & Straub GmbH

Marie Great

The strategy and creative teams at Blaupause are passionate about creating relevant and creative content for our B2B blog. Do you have a topic related to B2B marketing, innovation management, employer branding, etc. that you'd like to learn more about? Bring it on!

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