Businesses Need To Communicate In These Trying Times

Businesses Need To Communicate In These Trying Times

By Bill Bongiorno

We may be headed towards a recession given the current circumstance we all find ourselves in. Businesses and solo practitioners have an array of communication tools available to communicate with clients and customers in an effort to keep them, position themselves for a recovery and actually gain new business when the current situation comes to an end.

Companies now more than ever need to be increasingly proactive gaining market share and increase visibility, while cutting cost. Now is not the time for companies to run and duck for cover. A communications plan with customers and a media plan are called for. Both can be done with little cash outlay.

Right now newspapers are looking for content, particularly your local community ones. There’s no meetings, no events, no school in session, no sports to cover, no library programs. We are in a shut down.

Now is the time to share your expertise in whatever field you work in with those newspapers. Offer to be a source to the editors and reporters at these outlets. Ask to write guest columns on topics where you have experience. If your business can directly help people in this current time, share that knowledge with people through the media. Non-profits and other town groups can write stories of their activities that took place this year but whre not covered in the newspapers. Send a photo with it, a headline, a few paragraphs, contact info and email the editors. Keep it simple.

From a business perspective, here’s a few steps you can take for a fast start. Make a list of topics you can talk about. Go through and write comments on each that can be published. Remember to give illustration to your point and supporting material if possible. Cliches, anecdotes and client success stories are key. Keep your messages or tips to three points. Simultaneously, begin to put together a media list locally including business journals as well.

Perhaps your written client communication can be reworked into a guest column for your community paper or business journal or a letter to the editor of another publication. Offer your comments, letter, or column for publication along with your bio, photo and website information.

Be sure to market the articles with you in the news by posting to your website, sending to clients and posting to social media. Send those articles to your local TV stations and offer to talk on camera about the topic. Use the article as your talking points. This is something you can do on your own for free or you can hire an expert to help you.

The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

Bill Bongiorno is President of Blue Chip Public Relations, Inc. in South Salem, NY and has 30 years of media relations experience working with corporate clients, investment companies and non-profit organizations. He can be reached at bill@bluechippr.com or www.bluechippr.com