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COVID-19 changed everything for everyone and it’s unlikely that we will ever do things in quite the same way again. Successful companies will have adjusted their operations and updated their products and services to proactively meet the new needs of customers – and will continue to do so in the market uncertainty that follows.
Clear and consistent communication is well recognised as being one of the most important aspects of managing change. A well-managed life science public relations (PR) campaign will help you communicate with your target audiences and stakeholders – whether that is customers, collaborators, policymakers or investors. Here we explore five key messages you will want to share with your external audiences and how media relations can help you achieve this.
1. Your company’s contribution to the cure or vaccine for COVID-19
If your company is in some way contributing directly to the fight against COVID-19 you should be sharing that story. Perhaps you are manufacturing reagents that are being used in COVID-19 testing or drug development, or your technology is playing a key role in vaccine research. Maybe you have adapted part of your facility to produce hand sanitizer or PPE, or perhaps your team are dedicating their time to supporting their local communities.
Your motivation probably isn’t fame or recognition, however, sharing your story helps to show who you are as a company. It demonstrates that you live by your core values in good times and bad. And in sharing how your technology and expertise can help drive scientific developments, you are also lining up opportunities for a time beyond the pandemic. Meanwhile, the media are looking for good news stories to feature as a respite from the gloomy health and economic reports that are so prevalent. Sharing your story is a win-win situation.
2. How you are adapting to meet the ever-changing needs of customers
Beyond the peak of COVID-19 and into a period of market uncertainty, customers’ needs continue to change. Proactive companies update and evolve their products, services and delivery models to meet these needs. In doing so, not only do you help ensure you continue to make sales, but you also position the company as being customer-centric and build customer loyalty. Dynamic, proactive companies are not only popular with customers, but also with investors, which will likely be increasingly important as we head further into a period of great economic uncertainty.
If you are launching new or updated products and services, share your news with the media via a press release. This life science PR tactic remains one of the most simple and effective ways to provide journalists with all the information they need to cover your news and often leads to invites to provide longer articles or interviews. Alternatively, if you have early users of the new product or service, consider pitching a case study to a key publication so others can learn how it is helping the early adopter to overcome challenges.
3. Demonstrating your commitment to your customers
Since the outbreak began, there have been challenges in providing customers with the products and services they rely on. As a result, companies have needed to find creative solutions for providing these, while also ensuring the safety and wellbeing of their team. In the life sciences, many companies have scaled up their operations, sometimes introducing shift systems, to meet demand. And not only do customers need suppliers they can rely on, potential investors want to see evidence of this too.
While it’s relatively easy to share your commitment with your existing contacts, to reach the wider marketplace with demonstrations of innovation and reliability, the life science trade media offers an authoritative, trusted channel.
4. Guidance for customers on ways to overcome new obstacles
It’s never been more important to be seen as the experts in your field. As many life science companies and researchers adapt their services and extend their reach into a new area, you can leverage this opportunity to provide solutions that they may not have had needed previously. To help demonstrate such expertise, you can widely share thought leadership and educational content with blogs or via articles published in the life science media. This is particularly effective for sharing your existing technologies with new companies who are encountering a need for the first time.
5. New collaborations and communities
If you look closely, in amongst the tragedy of COVID-19, there have been some smaller, positive outcomes. United by a common enemy and a ticking clock, many companies have come together during the pandemic. Never before have we seen this level of collaboration and sharing of information across the industry – and hopefully this collaborative approach is something we take forward with us as we emerge into a new world.
Where you are involved in collaborations, even if it’s just a new partnership with one other company, there are stories to tell. Announcing such partnerships via news or co-authoring a thought leadership article to demonstrate your joint expertise will help show the marketplace that you are trusted and driving progress.
Why media relations will help get your messages heard
There are many ways to share your news and raise awareness of your company and its offerings. Social media is one readily accessible channel that should be adopted; however, the reach of your message will likely depend on the network you already have. To ensure your message stands out in this crowded space, your content will need a unique flavour to rise above the noise.
A more successful way to target a wider audience is to embark on a media relations campaign to secure coverage in key media outlets. Having such third-party endorsements helps you establish and build a reputation, while also extending your reach further into the marketplace. To be successful in having content published by the life science media you need to first define and create engaging stories that include your key messages, meet the needs of the media and resonate with your target audience. Having the right media contacts will help you pitch your story and secure coverage, whether that is a news story, a thought leadership article, or a case study.
Clear communication for success
As world markets shift and change over the coming months, companies will need to overcome a unique set of challenges. Communicating how your company rises to such challenges is essential for retaining business and for raising awareness among new and existing networks. A media relations campaign will help you leverage the credibility and audiences of the life science media in order to strengthen your outreach.
Download our Quick Start PR campaign sheet to find out how we can help you embark on your media relations campaign.
