Even if you have never watched Monty Python’s classic comedy Life of Brian (1979), you’ve likely heard Eric Idle’s “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.”

During emergencies like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, though, it can be hard to keep such an optimistic viewpoint. One of the best tools a marketing and communications team can have for weathering a storm with a smile during times of disruption is an up-to-date crisis communications strategy.

Keep reading to learn questions you can ask to be proactive and create a crisis communications plan—plus, find out when a crisis might mean it’s time to pause your marketing and when it could be an opportunity to do more.

This post is part of TBH Creative’s series on digital marketing, crisis communications, and COVID-19.

Email messaging is a critical piece of any crisis communications strategy. Your contact list has willingly signed up to hear your latest news, giving you a direct line into their inboxes.

According to recent benchmarks, in many industries about 25% of emails sent from businesses to their subscribers will be opened. Compared to engagement from other types of marketing (e.g., .08% engagement on Facebook for retail posts and 1.91% CTR on Google PPC ads), email’s reach is significant, making it all the more important to get it right, especially during a crisis.

Read on for do’s and don’ts for effective email messaging as part of your overall crisis communication plan.

This post is part of TBH Creative’s series on digital marketing, crisis communications, and COVID-19.

Social media plays an essential role in how we interact and communicate with one another every day. It takes on even more importance during times of disarray and uncertainty, which is why it’s essential to include social media planning as part of your crisis marketing strategy.

Keep reading to learn more about best practices for integrating social media into your crisis communications plans.