Getting Comms Right

Many of us are now well used to hearing this from clients and colleagues as we battle with the vagaries of remote working. But, inadvertently or otherwise, how many businesses have also let themselves fall silent?

I was working for the professional association the Chartered Institute of Marketing during the long haul to recovery after the recession of the 90s, and penned endless reams of copy on the importance of marketing during a recession. The challenges we face now are different, but the solutions to our problems remain the same. If anything, clear communication is more important today than it has ever been.

With the sands shifting beneath their feet on a daily basis, consumers and business partners are confused about the future they face and who can help them. They need all the help they can get to understand it.

Many of our own clients have taken fresh approaches to the way they present their offers, and are working hard to make sure their existing and potential customers know how their brands can solve new dilemmas. Contactless retail technology that gives time-pressed shoppers and diners convenience also provides much-needed reassurance to safety-conscious travellers. Similarly, lounge and private sleeping space at an airport is a way to give the stressed traveller a little downtime, but it also offers the security of being able to get away from the crowds.

These nuances need to be explained, and the brands that aren’t doing this are missing a trick. I read in PRWeek recently that private jet charter booking company PrivateFly has taken on a PR agency to help it spread the word about the benefits of chartered flights as travellers look for space and privacy when travelling. And good for them.

There’s much our industry can do to get travellers moving safely again. But if we don’t tell anyone about it, we can’t complain if no one asks for our help.