As we all adapt to the “new normal” during the coronavirus pandemic, like many industries, PR agencies are rewriting playbooks for how to pitch reporters.

It’s a balance of continuing to drive results for clients while ensuring pitches are not tone deaf, appealing to reporters’ humanity, and counseling clients on the risk of appearing like they are capitalizing on the pandemic. It’s not easy and quite frankly the most challenging type of strategy development I have experienced in my career.

While PR professionals are not saving lives – and those that are have my upmost respect and eternal admiration – we are influencing how people think and how they feel. Many of us are grappling with our own fears and anxiety due to isolation and the uncertainty of the entire situation. But it’s our job to maintain our composure and help our clients communicate with their audiences as calmly as possible during this crisis.

In a recent blog on PR Daily, Elizabeth Tower Powell of DAI Partners shared an interesting perspective about how this is impacting the ways we provide counsel and help our clients during the coronavirus:

“When we tackle crisis situations, we usually have the advantage of objectivity. We address a disaster for clients, not with them. It is their problem, not ours. Right now, we’re experiencing the crisis together and its impact is severe. We don’t know the end date or the outcome and it’s difficult to suggest solutions.”

Considering this thoughtful viewpoint, I agree that we must take a step back and be very intentional in our strategy recommendations and execution to ensure we are thinking objectively on behalf of our clients. Given the enormous economic uncertainty and the need for brands to continue communicating with the public, below are four tips that can help.

• Communicate. It seems like a no-brainer, right? We are not expected to have all the answers but being proactive in staying in touch, being available and offering support and guidance can be very impactful. Working for a solutions-oriented agency, communicating without a direct result in mind can seem counterintuitive at first, but it goes a long way in building strong relationships with clients and demonstrates humility.
• Go above and beyond. Clients are taking on new and different responsibilities, as are their target audiences, and to those that want to weather the storm we need to roll up our sleeves and do whatever it takes to get the job done. Perhaps this is not the typical proactive pitch or communication plan development that is included in the scope of work; however, clients need resourceful help now more than ever.
• Showcase success, tactfully. This tip resonates with me as I am, likely overly, concerned about my clients appearing tone deaf or attempting to capitalize during the pandemic. That said, people are longing for something new and positive to watch. Take the launch of John Krasinski’s ‘Some Good News’ YouTube series, created to bring some positivity during these difficult times. Ok, maybe we can’t all be The Office’s beloved Jim, but we can help clients understand the importance of strategically showcasing good news, such as new business or new hires, as it can be reassuring to others that succeeding in this environment is possible.
• Look forward. It’s easy to get caught up in accepting that the current environment will be our “new normal.” I could be wrong, but I truly believe it is temporary, even if temporary is longer than originally anticipated. In a recent and rare address from Queen Elizabeth about the pandemic, an optimistic determination struck a chord with me when she said, “I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge.” As PR pros it’s our job to help our clients plan for recovery and prepare for the future.

There are many unknowns with COVID-19 – from a health to an economic perspective – but I firmly believe we must maintain an optimistic outlook in the face of trying times.

In the interim, as you work to determine what is resonating with media, you may find the COVID-19 Media Guide for PR Pros, by D S Simon Media, as a helpful resource specific to broadcast. The sponsoring agency is surveying local news outlets on a weekly basis about what they are open to covering during the pandemic. Clearly, hard sell messages don’t make a lot of sense right now, and this guide can help provide some additional perspective on how brands are succeeding at this during the current climate.