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COVID-19 Resource Guide

As we continue to keep our distance and get used to our new normal, there are many resources and content out there to read and utilize. At Fort Lauderdale and Aspen-based public relations agency Durée & Company, we have put together the ultimate COVID-19 resource guide. This is a one-stop-shop to find the best PR tips, ways to help out in your community, and activities you can participate in during your free time.

Public Relations 101.

Having never experienced a pandemic before, many people did not know how this would affect their businesses. Many businesses closed, companies quickly developed emergency plans, and some got creative and found new ways to create income. With our expertise in dealing with crisis communications and public relations, we advised our clients on how important it is to not panic and to utilize these four PR tips.

  • Use the Recession To Your Benefit: Rather than panicking about COVID-19, we advised our clients to step up their public relations game. We shared ways to thrive during a recession, including telling your story when others aren’t, increasing online PR such as starting a blog or e-newsletter, developing an emotional connection with your target audience, and more.
  • Manage Communication Effectively: When dealing with a crisis, it is also important to effectively manage communication. Take this time to roll out a more complex and effective crisis response plan, so the next time something like this comes along, you’re ready to roll. The key to an effective communication strategy is to plan ahead, have a dedicated team ready to respond in a timely fashion, work as a team even while staying apart, and stay on top of the media’s radar.
  • Adjust Writing Practices Accordingly: When creating PR or marketing materials – whether it’s written, verbal or nonverbal communication – the message must be clear, compassionate and confident. To make sure your message is understood across all channels, it is important to solve a problem rather than sell a product or service, eliminate longwinded copy and cut the clutter, identify a tone of voice for messaging, get to the point quickly, and communicate early and often.
  • Prepare for Virtual Opportunities: COVID-19 has changed the way we work, live and communicate. Even media is adapting and changing over to video platforms when available. At D&Co, we have prepped our clients to help them prepare for this new normal with our virtual media tips, including preparing talking points; setting up a filming space with good lighting and a clean background; dressing the part even when participating in an interview from home; testing the camera, speaker and Wi-Fi before an interview to eliminate any malfunctions; and practicing in the video frame.

Ways to Help in the Community.

There are so many ways to help out in the community, especially in these trying times, but many don’t know where to start.

  • Business: Businesses know that partnering with a nonprofit organization is essential, but they may not know how to pick the right nonprofit for their brand. Every company is different, and every nonprofit is different, so we’ve compiled a list of tips that will set your company up for success while building a compelling story of service for your community.When looking for a nonprofit to partner with, look at your community to make a local connection, relate the nonprofit and its values back to your business, create the relationship for the right reasons, engage your employees because they are the best advocates for your brand, and influence your customers and fans to help give back to your partner.
  • Personal: If you’re not a business, and are just looking for ways to help out in the community, there are still many options for you. A couple of ideas include:
    • Support a local food bank such as Feeding South Florida, which is hosting drive-thru food distributions to supplement closed agency sites, schools and meal sites in South Florida.
    • Support a local business like Special Needs Group, which in addition to providing global wheelchair rentals, also offers a broad range of medical equipment for sale, including masks, thermometers, stethoscopes and more.
    • Support a local nonprofit like the Rotary Club of Weston, which has partnered with Freedland Harwin Valori, PL to provide meals to front-line workers and families in need.
    • For a full list of our clients and friends that could use the support, visit our Dynamo Diary.

Activities To Play During Quarantine.

Even though things are tough right now, it’s important to still find time to have fun! Many businesses are finding creative ways to help pass the time at home, so be sure to utilize them. A few ways that we have kept entertained during this quarantine include:

  • Virtual Instagram Games: Try one of our social distancing Instagram games! Take a screenshot, share on Instagram stories, tag a friend and tag us. It’s that easy. Our “Social Distancing BINGO” was a fan-favorite!
  • The Dynamo DISH: Looking for simple recipes that can be made at home, mostly with ingredients that you have in your pantry already? The D&Co dynamos compiled our favorite recipes. Try one for yourself and tag us on social media so we can see the finished product!
  • Visit a Virtual Museum: Although local attractions may be closed, many options are virtually open. A couple of our favorites include the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami’s virtual reality tours of their exhibitions or Bonnet House Museum & Gardens’ four-part virtual tour to the museum!
  • TikTok: TikTok, the viral app that has changed the landscape of social media this year, is continuing to grow at exponential rates and certainly has helped bring some comic relief during a pandemic.

During these unprecedented times, our motto is to come together by staying apart for the safety and benefit of our team, clients, friends and family. We are taking all the necessary precautions, and we will all get through this together. While we know social distancing will not last forever, our team is ready to help you and your business no matter what the global circumstances are. Contact us today!

 

 

About Durée & Company 

Durée & Company, Inc. is an award-winning, full-service public relations, marketing and special events firm founded in 1999. The firm has offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Aspen, Colorado. Durée & Company serves the corporate, agency and nonprofit arenas for local, national and international clients. Services include public relationssocial mediamarketingcontent developmentadvertisingspecial eventsbrandingradio promotions and more. Durée & Company clients include well-known names in businessfashionhospitalitytravelwellness and CBDmarine & yachtart and culturenonprofit organizationslegal and professional services and real estate. Durée & Company is a member of PR Boutiques International™ (PRBI), an international network of boutique PR firms. To learn more, go to https://dureeandcompany.com/, visit Durée & Company on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DureeCoPR/, Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dureecopr Twitter at https://twitter.com/dureecopr, LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/dureecopr or YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/DureeAndCompany, or call 954-723-9350.

 

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