How COVID Made Us Better Communicators
Although we are all so ready to be done with talking about COVID, we did learn some things that will make us better communicators.
Here are a few of our takeaways:
Independent Colleges of Washington
DON’T LET GEOGRAPHIC DISTANCE KEEP YOU FROM CAPTURING VITAL STORIES ON VIDEO
Covid isn’t the only reason a video may need to be shot remotely. Sometimes budget constraints or other challenges make it impossible to send a crew where you need them.
The pandemic taught us that when face-to-face contact isn’t possible, a remote recording can be a solid option for a video production. Check out how we worked with the Independent Colleges of Washington to incorporated Zoom-recorded content into their video communication strategy.
Healthcare Association of Hawaii
BE MINDFUL TO CREATE DIGITAL CONTENT THAT CAN EASILY BE TRANSLATED INTO DIFFERENT LANGUAGES WHEN NEEDED
The Healthcare Association of Hawaii was looking for a way to educate their state on ways to reduce the spread of Covid. We worked with them to create easy-to-read infographics and translated them into 16 different languages in order to reach the diverse population present in Hawaii.
PocketiNet
A VIDEO DOESN’T HAVE TO SELL TO CREATE CONNECTION TO YOUR BRAND
Sometimes just providing a “feel good” moment is the best way to connect you to your audience. Learning to read the “mood” of the times can help you know what communication is going to resonate with your audience.
”The [Other] Essential Workers” video created an emotional connection with viewers, linking the brand to values like gratitude and recognition of others, and provided viewers with something soul-nourishing during a chaotic and tense time.
It said a lot about the company, without saying anything about what they sell.
Adventist Healthcare
GET OUT AHEAD OF YOUR CUSTOMERS’ FEARS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH FACTS CAN HELP ALLAY MISINFORMATION
During any kind of crisis, misinformation spreads like fire. During the pandemic, when patients were putting off essential care, this healthcare system took steps to assure customers of their safety and let their community know that they were open for non-essential services.
Rather than having to respond to vague statements about safety, residents were able to see for themselves what was being done to ensure a safe environment. It’s always more persuasive to give customers the information they need to make their own decision.
Walla Walla County Department of Community Health
CHOOSE TRUSTED VOICES TO DELIVER MESSAGES DURING A CRISIS
With the pandemic generating misinformation and angst, the Walla Walla County Department of Community Health took a proactive approach to this by developing a digital strategy for delivering updates. Using videos captioned in both English and Spanish, they engaged the help of local experts and leaders to deliver key messages to the community. In the first two weeks alone they produced 11 video messages, filmed all at once to reduce costs.
Whitman College
A CRISIS DOESN’T HAVE TO KEEP YOU FROM CONNECTING WITH YOUR AUDIENCE
With COVID preventing Whitman College from hosting their annual Admitted Students Week on campus, they needed to come up with an alternative way to welcome incoming students. Within four weeks, they produced 11 videos, hosted four live video chats, and organized more than 30 text-based chats, creating a virtual experience that gave students a chance to taste Whitman’s distinctive culture from anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection.
Whitman College’s initiative showed that, with a bit of resourcefulness and innovative use of technology, there are still good options for fostering connections with your audience—even during challenging times.
Walla Walla University
VIDEO WORKS GREAT FOR ORIENTATION—EVEN WHEN CRISIS CHANGES YOUR PLANS
With COVID-19 limiting WWU’s ability to physically host large groups of people, they needed a way for incoming freshman to get acquainted with the school from afar. Quickly reorienting to the new landscape, they produced a series of orientation videos—many of which were evergreen—and made those available for students to view online.
WWU proved that with a bit of resourceful thinking, there are still ways to help new students transition to college life amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Walla Walla Country Club
IS YOUR BUSINESS PIVOTING OR REOPENING? GIVE YOUR CUSTOMERS THE FACTS BEFORE HAND.
When the country club reopened after COVID, they invested in communication that told them not just the what, but the facts supporting why it was safe to return to their restaurant. Giving your customers the information they need to make their own decisions is more well received than just stating generalities, like “it’s safe to return.”
Walla Walla University
DON’T GIVE UP ON THE MAJOR EVENTS YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES APPEAR TO THREATEN IT
When COVID threatened their commencement program, this university forged ahead with plans to provide their students with a graduation experience.
They chose to prerecord the service and host their graduation online, encouraging students and their families to tune in and celebrate virtually by utilizing a dedicated web page and interactive hashtags to encourage engagement. Working closely with their in-house communication team, we helped them produce their virtual commencement event—just one of several productions they created to celebrate their graduates.
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