Make Words Matter Again: The Imperative Communication Strategy
For those of us who have been impacted by COVID-19 (that is everyone, btw), news that there are safe and effective vaccines on the horizon could not come at a better time.
The next three months will still be hard, no doubt. And we must stay the course. But there is a bright, recognizable light at the end of the tunnel.
As a leader, and a business owner of a communications firm, I often think about how I communicate to the public at this time. And then I wonder how our government and health officials are communicating during this critical period. It will certainly be a logistical feat to get enough doses distributed to citizens.
Just as important will be the communications strategy put in place to ensure everyone understands the timeline, priority, and availability of vaccines. I think the past 10 months have underscored how important direct, honest, and accurate information, as well as the absence of all of that, impacts people.
According to the American Journal of Preventative Medicine and an article in The Atlantic, three out of every four Americans would need to receive a vaccination that prevents at least 80 percent of infections for the vaccine to extinguish the pandemic on its own.
From what we’ve heard, the protection rate is there, so that’s not the problem.
The problem is convincing enough Americans that the vaccine is safe, and there’s no reason to worry about serious side effects or Bill Gates tracking you with a microchip that has been secretly added to the vaccine.
Already, we are seeing a concerted effort to get the word out, with articles in major publications assuring the public vaccines are safe. Three former presidents have even come out in support, vowing to get the vaccine publicly when it is available to them.
But according to a recent Gallup poll, only 58 percent of adults are willing to receive the vaccine when it becomes available.
Based on my math, that’s less than the necessary 75 percent. In order to ensure we don’t have to practice safe social distancing and masking up after the vaccine is distributed, those numbers need to come up. So you can see why we are facing an uphill battle from the get-go.
This underscores the importance of the Biden administration having a sound communications strategy in place and ready to go the moment the Biden presidency begins.
It won’t be easy.
We’ve dealt with four years of “fake news” and misinformation. Those communicators charged with getting the word out about safe vaccines have to deal with people who think the government lies regularly to them, even when it means reaching the other side of this pandemic. Anyone who doesn’t think misinformation is dangerous will now see why it is, when it is literally life and death.
This is a cautionary tale for every business, government entity and individual who has a story to tell. Don’t throw it against the wall to see what sticks. Put a plan behind it. Identify your audience. List your goals. Describe your tactics. All of this needs to be done in advance before you hold your first press conference or send your first tweet to the masses.
In short: take the time to prepare before you go out in public, because you need to understand whose mind needs changing, who you are helping, and what you want them to consider or act upon.
And, of course, if you don’t have the time or resources to think it through soundly, that’s what Amy and I are here for.