3 Communications Tips for the Post-Pandemic Era

The cicadas are starting to emerge in many parts of the U.S. – and so are tens of millions of Americans who are now fully vaccinated.

Because of the vaccines, many of us have slowly started to return to a world that includes in-person meetings, indoor restaurants, and long-delayed trips.

And with last week’s new guidance from the CDC, there’s a sense that we can finally begin to celebrate living in a post-pandemic world.

But before you start communicating like it’s 1999 – or the Roaring 20s – here are a few tips to help make sure your messaging is responsible and on target in the weeks and months ahead:

Avoid Overselling “The End”

While it’s tempting to be celebratory in your tone after spending nearly 15 months in pandemic mode, the reality is some in your audience are still feeling COVID-19’s devastating impact in a range of ways.

Hundreds of thousands of families have lost loved ones to the virus. Many others are dealing with its economic impact. And, of course, the pandemic is still raging in many parts of world.

Keep that context in mind as you’re telling the world about how you’re moving forward. We’ve been through a massive collective trauma – and many people are still experiencing it.

As a result, it’s important to consider how the tone of your messaging might land.

Read the Room

One communications lesson that has been reinforced regularly throughout the pandemic is the importance of watching the world around us and adjusting our tactics to avoid sending out tone-deaf or ill-timed announcements and messages.

Even if COVID-19 continues to fade, we haven’t faced our final collective crisis. There’s always a new one around the corner – and it’s hard to predict when it might hit.

Keep paying attention to what’s happening in the news and make sure you’re ready to change course quickly with your communications, if needed.

Accentuate the Positive

Now that I’ve gone all Debbie Downer with my first two pieces of advice, let’s end on a positive note.

This is a good time to share and highlight good news. We’re all looking for inspiration these days – and there are some amazing stories of perseverance and generosity happening all around us.

You don’t have to shy away from promoting positive stories. In fact, I can’t think of a better time to do so.

Just be sensitive to your audience and try to be mindful of how you position your good news.