July 2020 - Wellons Communications

We’re all numbed by the overwhelming amount of information doled out daily by public health officials, governmental officials and other well-meaning organizations.

Wear masks. Keep your distance. Wash your hands. It’s a mantra we have heard—and lived—daily since COVID began to make its presence felt in early February.

Lost in the shuffle is information about products and services that continue to operate without interruption and whose services are in demand.

Surprisingly, there is considerable demand for product and service information. However, in response to this demand, information outflow by public relations operatives has actually decreased.

In our estimation, that presents an opportunity you cannot afford to miss.

How do we know media wants more information in today’s COVID times?

Energy PR, a well-respected British public relations firm based north of London, conducted a survey of nearly 150 British media outlets in the past month. The survey explored how things have changed for them since COVID-19.

The answers Energy PR uncovered offer some valuable insights that businesses and brands can capitalize upon. You can see their survey for yourself here.

One survey, of course, does not a trend make. However, like Energy PR, we hear journalists saying, “I am okay with COVID material, but I need other stuff as well.”

Here’s what Energy’s survey tells us:

Don’t try to be COVID-relevant when you’re not. There is so much COVID information out there that you get lost in the shuffle and become just another COVID story. A full 20 percent of journalists report that “no one is doing or saying anything new at the moment.”

Creativity counts. Sometimes creativity is simply being the oracle of the obvious. Actions like pointing media toward your blog posts, identifying how customers are adjusting to changing times and even new, unforeseen responses from your customers can all provide information that may serve as a news hook for outlets hungry for something besides COVID.

Don’t hold back. Business acumen and insights count. But you’ve got to express your ideas—and distribute them—to get noticed.

If you have something to say about your business category, now’s the time. If you’re noticing significant changes in consumer behavior, be a leader in your category and say it.

If you have something totally unique to point toward, go all out and issue a press release, tweet, conduct a webinar or make yourself available as a guest on a podcast. Above all, however, let your PR firm know about it so your marketing team can take advantage of what you have to say.

Capitalize on the lack of information. The sheer volume of information in the current news environment offers an extraordinary marketing opportunity for you to put your name in front of households who are weary of news revolving around The Mantra (masks, distance, handwashing) and COVID.

Here’s how Wellons Communications can help you…right now:

We know how to identify what’s newsworthy, even when you may not realize you have news.

We have exceptional news distribution capabilities that can put your news in the hands of journalists who are eagerly looking for something to report on other than COVID. We also possess the kind of creativity that can make your message stand out and call for attention.

We have outstanding resources at our fingertips that can graphically make your messaging come to life. And we understand how to make your message turn into memorable video and audio “bites” that can put your product or service into the news.

You can capitalize on an open news window right now…but only if you act.

Never before have we seen the media so eager to report something beside The Elephant in the Room (COVID). Indeed, with smaller-than-ever staffs and less time available to research and identify what’s newsworthy, media have become more and more dependent on folks like us at Wellons Communications to help them find stories that will interest their readers, viewers and listeners.

You can only take advantage of this opportunity by acting. The media are not going to find you if you wait for them to call.

Instead, let someone like us give you a hand in crafting and distributing information that will put your product or service into the news. We can help you connect with your target audiences and conversely, allow your would-be customers to connect with you in the form of sales.

Call me, Will Wellons, at 407-462-2718 or email me at will@wellonscommunications.com and let me know what you want your audiences to hear.

With everything 2020 has thrown at businesses, it’s probably not too hard to imagine why your business might need a crisis communications plan.

There have been countless lessons over the past few months of businesses tackling crisis head on, and many cautionary tales of businesses falling on their faces.

Even so, it’s easy to see why it doesn’t get checked off your to-do list. In the day-to-day hubbub, while you’re just trying to stay afloat, devoting the time to developing a crisis plan might not seem like a priority. Maybe you think you can’t fully craft a plan until you know what you’re facing. Or maybe you don’t even know where to start at all.

But whatever the reason, there are so many more that you should take the time to walk through your crisis communications plan…NOW.

If you don’t have a plan, you’re just reacting. Imagine driving down a dark, curvy road at night. With your headlights on, you can only see a few feet in front of you. You don’t know what’s lurking up ahead. Now turn on the brights. Suddenly, you can see a lot more.

Crisis happens fast. Having a plan means you can see further up the road. Without one, you’re just reacting to whatever pops up.

Social media means crisis is even faster. With so many different platforms, social media can mean you feel a crisis even more. You have a more direct platform to communicate with your guests or customers, and they have a more direct platform to communicate with you. If you don’t have a plan, the chatter on social media can be deafening…and devastating.

Having a plan forces you to define your brand. As you craft a crisis communications plan, you’re going to have to further evaluate who you are as a company. What do you value? What is your brand voice, and what do you say with it? Any time you look internally—to determine your best-selling products, to identify sales opportunities, to find new verticals, to form new positions—you strengthen your company because you can more clearly articulate these things.

You show employees you care. Just like when you put new HR policies in place, having a crisis communications plan helps your employees. It shows that you take your company seriously and value what you’re building together. It shows that you care about concerns and are the kind of company that works proactively to protect staff.

You show your customers you care. No one likes to deal with a crisis, but when you do—and when you’re prepared—you show your customers how seriously you take your brand. You show you are taking action, and you show you value their trust in you.

Have we convinced you?

Getting started doesn’t have to be intimidating. First, take some time to brainstorm a variety of situations your company might face. Think about how you might handle those situations. What might you say (or not say) and what platforms might you use to spread (or monitor) that message?

Next, designate a crisis team with a point person or spokesperson. This might also be a great time to engage an agency (hi!). Together, come up with an action plan. You might even start to draft some communications that can be quickly and easily customized and deployed.

Still need a little help? Wellons Communications has helped clients weather all kinds of storms. We’ve been helping clients prepare for more than a decade, and we’d be happy to lend a third-party perspective to your business.

Give us a call at (407) 462-2718 or email will@wellonscommunications.com for a free consultation.

Month: July 2020

Why COVID-19 could be your opportunity for media coverage