Lucidpress Guide
Marketing and communications playbook for higher ed during Covid-19
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Like they say in show business, “the show must go on” — and the same is true for higher ed. While the pandemic has changed how the world and your business operate, things haven’t stopped, they’ve only changed. Now that the initial shock has worn off, we can focus on adapting to the new landscape. But what’s the best way to handle this enormous change? How should you adjust your marketing strategy? And how do you transition to a virtual world? Higher ed has already shown itself to be incredibly agile at adapting to the new normal and going remote. We’ve compiled research and tips from the experts to help you continue that momentum, smooth this transition and prepare a marketing and communications plan for the coming months.
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Keeping calm and carrying on
Why your brand matters, especially now
84% of people want brand advertising to focus on “how products and services can help people cope with pandemic-related life challenges.” A recent survey from Edelman, Brand Trust and the Coronavirus Pandemic, showed that people really care how brands are responding to this global event. The bottom line is that how you act and communicate throughout this crisis will impact your brand in both the short- and long-term. The brand trust survey also highlighted a few other points of interest: Over half of survey respondents (54%) said they’re not interested in new products unless they are designed to help with their pandemic-related life challenges. People want compassionate connection and a genuine, human approach — 84% want brands to use their social media channels to facilitate a sense of community. What we do now will be remembered long after the pandemic is behind us. It’s clear that the public expects a lot from brands — they want us to step up, help out and create space for a virtual community. But how do you do this in a way that feels right for your brand?
There are a few simple principles to stick to with crisis communication. Here are some guidelines to help you make a communication plan so your brand can sound its best. Lead with empathy Everyone is experiencing the pandemic differently. Some people are glad to have more time to spend at home with their kids, some have lost their jobs, others are sick or have lost loved ones. Make sure you’re using a tone that will speak to a wide range of experiences — be kind, empathetic and thoughtful in all your messaging. Create an emergency response team Round up your best and brightest, and let each person handle part of your communications. With things changing so quickly, having a designated team will help you respond to things efficiently. Communicate frequently As things change, you’ll want to offer timely updates on business hours, closures, reopenings and new protocols. Decide which form of communication is best: text, email, social media, website updates? Focus on facts There’s a lot of speculation right now. Rather than add another voice to the chorus, just stick to the facts in your messaging. Focus only on what’s known for sure about what’s happening in the present moment. Adapt based on the current stage of the crisis Things are changing often and will vary by state, county, community, etc. Prepare to be agile and respond quickly to what’s going on in your area. Do you have tentative plans for different levels of reopening? Or potentially closing again if there’s a flare-up? While you can’t predict how everything will go, try to prepare for different scenarios as much as you’re able to. Build a central communication hub Make your team’s job easier by building out a central communication hub where necessary assets and templates that facilitate your communication strategy will live. For example, at Lucidpress, each team — marketing, sales, customer support and so on — operate with their own internal hub of templates, so each team member can easily draft up whatever they need based on the circumstance they’re responding to. Keeping things in one place will allow content to be updated quickly and easily as circumstances change. If anyone needs to send an email or create a social media post, they can grab a template from the hub and send out branded messaging super fast. Keep your messaging consistent One of the most frustrating aspects of the pandemic is the amount of differing information out there. Do your part to curb the spread of misinformation. Check any information you send out with reliable resources like the CDC or WHO. It’s also extremely important to avoid PR snafus (always, but especially now). Pay close attention to make sure your messaging is empathetic. If you can, run things past another set of eyes to make sure nothing comes across as insensitive. We lock down important messaging in Lucidpress templates to make sure no off-brand messaging or misinformation is getting out there. Leverage digital marketing channels Digital marketing channels offer the simplest way to reach a large number of people. Social media posts, emails and adding updates to your website are all great ways to keep people informed. Audit planned marketing and promotions Reevaluate the communications and promotions you had planned before the pandemic. Is now the right time to send them? Do you need to modify any of the messaging to reflect the current climate? Show how you’re giving back People want to see how your brand is reaching out and giving back. Get together with your team and brainstorm how you can support your community. Your initiatives will not only help your local community — they’ll create PR opportunities for your brand to show the value it offers.
How to communicate in a crisis
Higher education faces a multitude of challenges with the pandemic, but with the right plan, your school will be able to continue providing value, community and opportunity to its students. Mental health comes first The pandemic has caused a huge amount of stress for students and staff. Communicate regularly to curb anxiety, keep people updated and check that they’re getting any help that’s needed. Let your brand come through Through all of your communication, don’t forget to lean on your brand’s principles and how that translates to students in a challenging time. If there was ever a right moment for an inspiring message, it’s now, so dig into your brand’s story and see what you can apply. Maintain consistent communication With so many different departments and communication needs, it’s important to set up a process to keep messaging consistent across your school. This may look like a crisis committee that’s reviewing everything that goes out or templated messages that have been approved for use. For example, at Lucidpress, each team — marketing, sales, customer support and so on — operate with their own internal hub of templates, so each team member can easily draft up whatever they need based on the circumstance they’re responding to. Hear how the University of Pittsburgh and New Mexico State University are handling crisis communication from our webinar on higher education marketing in tough times. Show your value to current and future students Even though you may not all be on campus together, college can still have a great effect on students’ lives. Take steps to transition what makes your school valuable into the virtual world. This may take the form of regular town halls with leadership, events that bring people together, and clubs and fitness classes continuing to meet — all can be done remotely with the right resources. Here’s more from our webinar on how universities are connecting through virtual events. Be sensitive with tone and messaging Again, the pandemic is affecting people in lots of different ways, and you want to be empathetic to anyone who’s struggling. Adopt a compassionate tone in your communication and stick to facts rather than speculation. This is a great time to lean into your school’s mission and its positive messaging. Here’s a clip about how to approach tone and messaging right now. Adopt integrated digital marketing With so many people to reach out to, you’ll want a unified approach to communication. Align the messages you send out across your website, social media channels, emails and texts, and digital ads. For tips on creating a Covid-19 update page on your website, check out EAB’s web audit.
Higher ed strategies for Covid-19
Stand by your brand
Adjusting to a new day-to-day is going to be uncomfortable, but the right protocols and tools can ease the transition. If anything, these challenges will show the mettle of your brand and shine light on your strengths and areas that can be improved. For the time being, we should all focus our efforts on communication that’s clear, consistent and empathetic. For more direction on brand consistency, you can visit our crisis communication page. You’ll find free, customizable Covid-19 templates, or you can request a demo to see how Lucidpress can help your school weather the storm.
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