Marketing and communications professionals are adept at being adaptable; it comes with the territory of these professions. However, recent events have been challenging to even the most experienced marketing and communications practitioners, who may be finding it tough to keep key messaging and campaign themes aligned with events of the day.
While current events are challenging, it’s not the first time multiple major events have occurred simultaneously. For example, within a period of two years, Australia’s insurance industry alone had to deal with the collapse of HIH, a royal commission, a nationwide public liability insurance crisis, multiple natural disasters involving bushfires and floods, the SARS virus, and the September 11 and Bali terrorist attacks.
In situations such as these, how do communications and marketing professionals stay both relevant and sensitive to topics and issues of the day?
There are five key things to consider when progressing marketing and communications plans in a volatile environment:
1. Empathy
No matter who your target audience is and what role they play in an organisation, remember they are all human and emotionally impacted either directly or indirectly by external events.
As major events are unfolding, consider how they will impact your own organisation, your clients and potential target audiences on both a professional and personal level.
This degree of empathy helps marketers and communicators tailor messages that suit the issue and affected audiences. It involves more of an ‘outside-in’ view of the world, rather than a view of how the organisation will communicate its message outwards. In this way, the message helps to solve a problem for target audiences, rather than becoming an ill-timed and ill-pitched product promotion.
An empathetic approach is particularly important in getting the tone of voice right on social media. Organisations don’t need to comment on major events, and should avoid doing so, unless they can offer some considered advice that will solve a problem for target audiences and be sensitive to the situation. Senior communicators should develop this content rather than junior staff members because social media and websites are the new shopfront for organisations. This is where most people will gain their first impression of a business, so you don’t want it displaying messages that aren’t based on a full understanding of the nuances involved.
2. Keep informed, not obsessed, about the news of the day
With so much happening at one time, marketers and communicators can easily be caught up in the whirlwind of information.
While it’s important to be informed and on top of current issues, there is a fine line between becoming informed and being obsessed with an issue. Obsession can make it hard to provide a clear and objective view of the situation for your target audiences.
It’s important to obtain the facts about an issue from a trusted source, such as official channels or non-commercial news providers. While it may be interesting to see different perspectives about an issue on consumer social channels, don’t let this information cloud your judgement or your communications about the issue.
If you find yourself becoming obsessed, consider limiting your view of issue updates to two to three times per day, unless of course it’s an issue that is unfolding minute-by-minute. Only rely on trusted sources of information. Turn off automatic social news feeds if you find you are becoming emotionally impacted or distracted by an issue.
3. Don’t plan too far in advance
The digital business environment and the rapidly evolving global market have permanently changed planning cycles across all work functions in organisations.
Developing an annual outline of potential ideas and activities is still relevant, but solid annual marketing and communications plans can easily become obsolete. If you focus on a comprehensive, 12-month marketing or communications plan, you could find yourself needing to redo the plan six months down the track.
Instead, focus on a three-to-six month plan, with some potential ideas that extend beyond six months but can be easily adapted as market forces change.
This approach also helps your organisation to become more agile and adaptable, and ensures your messages remain relevant no matter what market conditions are present.
4. Know that people still need to hear your message
While marketers and communicators need to be sensitive to societal issues, equally they must be sensitive to the needs of their audiences. Outside of the issue, the world still turns, and business still needs to be done. This means that there are problems your target audiences need to solve, and they rely on your insight and expertise to do so.
Thought leadership on key topics that provide valuable insights and advice for your target audiences is still powerful for conveying key messages, without being insensitive to societal issues.
5. Be prepared to adjust content and let some ideas go
As a marketer and communicator, flexibility and adaptability are key. Thinking on your feet can be a great buzz as you adapt to keep pace with market demands. It can be frustrating when you’ve worked hard on a great idea that suddenly has no relevance to what is happening in society.
When this occurs, consider your idea with a new perspective that is more relevant to the current environment. An entire campaign theme could go out the window but there is always something from that campaign that can be salvaged and reused.
Ultimately, being an adaptable marketer and communicator in an unpredictable environment is a great opportunity to capitalise on your creativity, innovation and problem-solving skills, while further developing your empathy, which will make you a much stronger and more effective communicator in the long term, even when peace reigns in the outside world.
