We’re not scientists here at Calvermont and therefore won’t be commenting on the science behind the Government’s Coronavirus strategy <insert sigh of relief>, but we have been watching their communications strategy(?) with interest.

Aside from one or two 'Olivia Pope' (reference Scandal) style moments - with Boris personally fighting the virus, then having a baby boy (with matching hair) during the crisis - the delivery of information and guidance has led to some confusion amongst the nation.

The 'stay home, protect the NHS, save lives' slogan was effective for the first few weeks, but the more recent changes have spurred cynicism at best and rule-breaking at worst. (Hairy Hackneyites, Brighton bathers, you know who you are…)

But how should a company or individual act in a crisis to maintain trust and support?

We’ve pulled together a few top tips:

Lead by EXAMPLE: Be who you say you are and do as you want others to. (Try not to shake hands without gloves when asking others not to...)
Be REALISTIC: Don’t over-promise or attempt to put a timescale on a crisis, as the very definition of the word crisis means it's not predictable. (PPE, testing kits, phases...)
Be CONCISE: Explain your message carefully and with clear reason, or you risk your audience finding loopholes. With every unanswered question, more distracting questions are seeded. (Stay at home or stay alert, go to work or don’t go to work, see family or don’t see family...)
Be CONSISTENT: Define your key messages and stick to them to help build understanding, then reiterate at all opportunities to build trust. (As above...)
Be PERSONAL: Select just one or two key spokespeople to deliver messaging and any media briefings to build a human connection with your intended audience. (A crisis needs stability and empathy, rather than a line up of MPs who didn't quite get the top job...)

So, hopefully that’s helpful and common sense prevails (lets face it, we need it) as we ‘stay safe, stay home, stay alert.’