Understatement of the year: Our world has changed. Your organization is probably in the process of changing, too – and it’s likely uncomfortable.
If it’s not uncomfortable, you’re probably doing it wrong.
Conversations, Twitter threads, and Facebook group posts have a common theme: What do we say in this time of uncertainty, stress, and great change?
There’s no perfect answer, but there are some guiding principles that can help your marketing team navigate the right messaging for our times:
Your Organization’s Values
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Your Audiences’ Needs
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What Your World Looks Like, Now.
Do not look at these in isolation – they all work together.
What are your organization’s values? In the context of social justice issues, does your business have a voice and the potential to have an impact? Does it align with your mission or your vision? Will your actions seem performative or will they truly make a difference? Does your organization walk the talk? Let those with expertise in this space lead the conversation.
Through the lens of the pandemic: Does your organization offer relevant products or services that help advance the condition of your clients during Covid-19? How can you be of service?
Are you committed to change? Are you committed to helping? Is what you’re saying realistic? Are the proposed actions sustainable?
What do your audiences need? Are they seeking distraction, support, or leadership in this disruptive time? How can you offer support or leadership?
What does our world look like now? You can’t remove the audience from the times; you cannot remove the organization from the times. Whatever message you send is viewed by your audiences – internal and external – through the lens of the current environment. Will your message resonate today? If you wait for a period of time, will it resonate more? Can you afford to wait? (Can you afford NOT to wait?)
While it’s nearly impossible to find the perfect message or the perfect set of actions, be open to listening, learning, and adjusting. There’s no playbook for our times, so it’s up to us to write one that creates the world we all wish to see. Amplify the diverse voices in your organization. Pass the mic. Listen to what our colleagues, clients, and employees need.
Actually – let’s listen before we speak.
A note from Socially Professional’s founder, Luann Edwards, about Black Lives Matter, originally published on LinkedIn on June 1, 2020:
My mission at Socially Professional is to help brands and leaders have a voice and connect with those who are important to them through the power of technology.
Now, more than ever, my job is to use my voice to call out racism, injustice, and bigotry wherever I see it. My voice must be louder today than ever before.
Most importantly, my job is to amplify the voices of my Black friends and colleagues. Their voices must take center stage.
Whenever I face something seemingly insurmountable, I try to learn as much as I can to find the best path forward for positive change. For now, I will amplify where I can, and speak up where I must. And keep learning.
I invite you – no, I implore you – to join me.
– Luann Edwards, founder, Socially Professional