Regardless of the type of brand, reacting and preparing for a coronavirus outbreak should follow the rules of a typical public relations crisis.

Here some do’s:

– Let the medical authorities do their thing;

Don’t try to explain how surgical masks work, or determine how healthy one must be in order to fulfill his duties as employee or customer. Stick to the basics, and let your users know you are thinking about their well being.

– Over-communicate;

People want information. Even if it’s information about receiving information. Staying radio silent fuels rumors and doubts.

– Easy navigation;

If you are looking to distribute information, make it easy for people to find. The best place to put urgent policy news is on the homepage of your website. Use bold colors.

– Embrace the consumer;

What needs to be communicated is that the decisions were made in the consumers’ best interests.

– Don’t lie;

Savvy consumers can see right through any sort of forced positivity. Calming messages are a nice thought, but ultimately people just want to know the facts and how they can best protect themselves.