Jump scare: your event gets canceled, a beloved program is changed or a popular product gets discontinued. If any of these made the hair on your arms stand up, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Delivering spooky news to your business’s audience can be frightening, but having the right PR team behind you can make the impossible seem a little less daunting. Let’s dive in. 

Find the best mode of communication.

Bad news is not easy to break – no matter how big or small an organization’s audience is. This is where having an expert PR team comes into play. No one is more acutely aware of an organization’s audience than the people who spend every day crafting messages specifically for them. By analyzing metrics like social media engagement and email newsletter opens, and by understanding the habits and preferences of your audience, your PR pros can pinpoint where to find your audience, allowing news to be delivered effectively and efficiently. 

Know what to say and when to say it.

Even scarier than the bad news – how do you break it? No matter how big or small the situation, knowing what to say to your audience and when to say it is crucial. Your PR team has a 360-degree view of your business. Not only are they in tune with your audience, but they also deeply understand you and your organization as a whole. They will expertly tailor all messages to deliver news in a way that’s easy to understand for your audience while explaining your organization’s rationale for making the decision. 

As a bonus, they can also develop a plethora of guides – like talking points for interviews, frequently asked question guides for business leaders and team members, and custom social media responses – for entire teams to use throughout the process. 

Speak from the heart.

Delivering bad news is never easy, but it lands a little softer when it has a human touch. It’s important to be genuine, honest and authentic, and no one knows how to deliver that better than your PR team. They work with your audience every day, so they will be able to recognize and acknowledge how they will feel while also getting your organization’s message across. Authenticity and honesty go a long way. 

Always stay vigilant.

Just as important as delivering the news is staying aware of audience engagement and feedback after the fact. Because they’re in the day-to-day of your business, a PR team is able to stay on top of both immediate and longer-term reactions from your audience and respond accordingly. This is especially important for businesses with active social media platforms, as many people are using these platforms like Google. 

Spooky news isn’t so spooky when you have the right team on your side. If you’re ready to make audience communications less spine-chilling and more comforting, the Obsidian Public Relations team is ready to help.