Crisis communication is crucial communication. When you write for your customers or clients, don’t let your words be hurried, or selfish.
How To Write For Your Customers (Your Audience) During a Crisis
Use brevity. This means not using 800 words when 400 will do. It also forces you to be selective. You get to take out the unnecessary words and phrases and leave in the rest; choose carefully.
Show some empathy. It might seem like the recipient of your communication is a computer screen. It’s not. Your recipients are your customers. More specifically, your recipient is a person. So talk to that person.
Use consistent and proper punctuation. A letter with inconsistent dashes, willy-nilly commas, or improper apostrophes communicates to your customer that you don’t care enough to craft a professional and proper letter.
Keep your language focused on your audience. Your customers are looking for communication about what you’re doing to continue to serve them, and what they’re supposed to do if they need you. Using words like “overblown” or “ridiculous” to describe a current crisis puts the focus on you, not them. Address their concerns, and if you don’t know what those are, ask.