5 Crisis Communications Lessons from Cuomo’s Coronavirus Response
From Michael Kling, writing for Glean. Public relations experts and other commentators point to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s COVID-19 communications as an example of how leaders should speak to the public during a crisis. Business leaders and PR professionals can examine Cuomo’s press conferences for several crisis communications lessons. While the New York governor […]
How to Talk to Patients About COVID-19
Don’t be put-off by the title. No matter who you are or who you’re talking to, you’ll find some excellent tips below. From Mary Beth Nierengarten, writing for ENT Today. As the numbers of people infected and dying from COVID-19 grow, so do fear and apprehension about what lies ahead. Clear, effective communication to help […]
What Customers Need to Hear from You During the COVID Crisis
Written by Jill Avery and Richard Edelman, writing for the Harvard Business School. As the COVID-19 virus pandemic began to sweep across the world, Doug McMillon and his team at Walmart watched in horror. Suddenly, they realized, tomorrow would be nothing like “business as usual” and everything in the company’s marketing plan, from retail execution […]
When and How to Emerge from Our COVID-19 Lockdown Is a Political Question; It Will Kill People Even If It’s Done Right
Everyone wants to know when we can begin going back to the lives we had just a month or so ago and when businesses will reopen. Knowing that there’s much misinformation out there, we rarely post anything about this particular portion of the COVID-15 debate, but we saw something written by someone with impeccable credentials, […]
When Court Moves Online, Do Dress Codes Still Matter?
From The New York Times: Justice is supposed to be blind. But in courtrooms, decorum matters. Judges typically dress in somber black robes. Lawyers, plaintiffs and defendants are encouraged to dress modestly to signify credibility. Does that change when court hearings are moved online to enable social distancing during the spread of the new coronavirus? Absolutely not, according […]
COVID-19 – We’re Here for You (Yes, We Really, Really Are)
We are living in uncertain and unprecedented times, so it’s important for you to know that we’ve been here since 1989 – and that our top priority is people. From the safety of our home and yours, we’re here for you. We really are. And we won’t just tell you – we’ll show you. And after […]
Now is the Time – Media Training for Attorneys & Their Clients
Whether it’s a staff meeting on Teams, a webinar on Zoom, a private conversation on FaceTime or a short training video you record on WebEx, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it. And if it’s an interview with a seasoned reporter, the stakes are even higher. You must be prepared to answer […]
When It Comes to the Pandemic, Scared Is Good
Written by Peter Sandman, this was written at the request of the Sunday Times of London for its March 15, 2020 edition – but not published. Nearly every journalist who contacts me about the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic wants to talk about panic. I usually ask the reporter, “Do you know anyone personally who’s panicking?” The […]
How the Pandemic Will End
By Ed Yong, writing for The Atlantic: Three months ago, no one knew that SARS-CoV-2 existed. Now the virus has spread to almost every country, infecting at least 446,000 people whom we know about, and many more whom we do not. It has crashed economies and broken health-care systems, filled hospitals and emptied public spaces. […]
Coronavirus: Allaying Panic, Doctors Talking to Patients, Comparing COVID-19 to Seasonal Flu & Reaction to President Trump’s News Conference
Beyond the headlines and soundbites, the main effect from coronavirus seen thus far in the United States may be confusion. Who to believe. What to believe. And how best to prepare and think about this latest global threat right now. Here, we offer analysis and advice from the United States’ preeminent risk communication speakers and consultants, […]