I imagined the things I needed most – bread, in particular – and headed to the far side of the store first to get a loaf or two before they vanished. As I stood between the long shelf of bread to my right and the sprawling produce department to my left, my nightmare began. I saw a large, empty space where the onions used to be, and I felt a sense of anger, panic and disbelief rolling into one unsettling emotion. Nearby, more empty spaces where bell pepper and celery should be. How the hell am I supposed to cook anything without onions, bell pepper and celery? The Trinity!

In that moment, my plans to make gumbo, red beans and rice or jambalaya evaporated. The dishes I grew up with and always turned to for comfort and when I needed to stretch a buck would now be impossible. Imagine New York without pizza or bagels, Philadelphia without cheesesteaks, Boston without clam chowder or San Francisco without sourdough bread or Dungeness crab. Culinary tragedy!

I continued to the meat department – no chicken, no beef and no sausage. Bye-bye jambalaya, bucatini with meat sauce and pretty much every recipe I usually make during any given week. I “settled” on turkey breast cutlets, ground bison and ground lamb. I’m fantastic in a kitchen. I know I’ll make something delicious out of these proteins. My belly will certainly be full. But it’s just not the same. These days, few things are.

America’s Southern culture is one where we look a stranger in the eye as we pass and say hello or share a smile. We make friends with strangers in the checkout line, because that’s what our mommas and Mémères did. Our hearts are warm like our weather, and we do insist upon being polite and kind as much as possible. If you wear your favorite SEC school’s logo when out during football season, you expect and welcome the likeminded, and similarly dressed, strangers to high-five you and give an old school cheer. You also expect and welcome others in rivals’ apparel to give you some “clean, old-fashioned hate,” as they say in Georgia. 

But at the store today, there was little eye contact, chatter or warmth, and there were no SEC cheers despite my LSU sweatshirt. Instead, there was stress, anxiety and a desire to get in and out as quickly as possible without catching COVID-19. There may not be any SEC football, or any other type of football, this year. And there certainly won’t be gumbo on my stove any time soon. It all broke my spirit when I thought about this while putting groceries into the car.

I tried to sort out my emotions as I drove home. Those damn empty shelves! I thought about growing up during the Cold War, all those images of Soviet Bloc countries on the nightly TV news. The rationing and endless lines of severe-looking babushkas and old men in heavy coats and ushankas hoping to get toilet paper. Lines for toilet paper! Toilet paper! Can you believe that?! 

The quarter-empty store I saw is nothing compared with the misery people behind the Iron Curtain endured and what today’s citizens of Venezuela, North Korea or Cuba continue to suffer. But this is America – the Norman Rockwell painting promised us “Freedom from Want” in 1943! Where’s my toilet paper?

I wondered what my Mémère and Pépère would have thought about the current pandemic. They grew up during the Great Depression and never wasted a scrap of anything forever after. She dealt with rationing stateside, while he fought the Japanese Empire in the Pacific. They reared two boys on a meager budget after that. To them, whining was unacceptable. It was OK to feel stressed or to worry, but then you had to do something about it or “fermes la bouche!” It’s something I continue to struggle with as I, and we, work from home and wonder when, and if, our “normal” lives will ever return. COVID-19 World – there are moments of despair and there are moments of joy. 

Before I got home, some final thoughts crossed my mind – gratitude and perspective. As an American, I, and perhaps some of you, got used to having everything anyone could possibly want on-demand 24/7. I, and perhaps some of you, grew up believing in this land of plenty, that we are indeed blessed, will never run out of anything and should be immensely thankful. There’s even a holiday every late November devoted exclusively to that concept – and over-eating, football and booze.

But I, and perhaps some of you too, have clearly taken a lot for granted. It’s hard not to. We got spoiled. How I’d now gladly fight an hour of traffic twice a day to get to the office and see my colleagues. Some people no longer have jobs. How I’d now gladly run an errand even when tired and browse the merchandise without fear of touching and contracting a potentially deadly illness. Some people cannot afford to buy whatever they want, whenever they want it. How I’d now gladly go to the gym even when feeling lazy. Some people aren’t healthy enough to even stand.

Gratitude and perspective – maybe the bison étouffée can become a real thing? 

If you'd like to sign up for our weekly COVID-19 updates, click here.

Jacques Couret is editorial manager of All Told and works out of Allison+Partners’ Atlanta office, where he boasts the company’s best collection of Star Wars desk toys.

In March 2015, Bill Gates said in a TED speech that our greatest current threat is a large-scale pandemic, not a nuclear war. The challenge we face is not that our defense system is not strong enough, but that we actually do not have one.

This speech, delivered five years ago, showed great foresight.

When we witnessed the Ebola outbreak in Africa, we may have rationalized it as far away from home. When we heard about the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), the Zika virus and avian influenza, we also dismissed them as having no impact on us. Although we in China experienced the SARS epidemic 17 years ago, memories of the events have already become distant and indifference set in as many chose to forget.

Because of this forgetfulness and indifference, our epidemic prevention system was caught unprepared and overwhelmed when COVID-19 broke out.

Past experiences, if not forgotten, can serve as an important a guide for the future. Although we remain in the midst of the pandemic, which grows worse globally, it has already provided many lessons and experiences worth pondering.

Listen to science and experts

Medicine and epidemic prevention are highly specialized scientific fields. Listening to the opinions of experts and professionals is absolutely paramount to avoid arriving at incorrect conclusions and making uninformed decisions.

Trust is key

At critical moments, people will trust the authorities only if all operations are transparent. A pandemic does not cause panic and confusion – a lack of trust does.

Crisis awareness

It is foolish to believe bad things will never come to us; a certain level of vigilance is important. Many companies have their crisis management systems in place, and the same should be true for epidemic prevention. 

Prepare emergency plans

No one can foresee a crisis, and no one can make all the right judgments at the very beginning. As the Chinese saying goes, "You need to bear 10 years of hard work to enjoy your one minute on the stage." Although each crisis is unique, there are also similarities in their history, their impact and in the response measures taken against them. Therefore, we must take full advantage of “peacetime” to mobilize the strength of all parties and brainstorm emergency plans. 

Rehearsal

The emergency plan will not work if it is only on paper. Just like the military, if you do not train or practice during peacetime, you will be unprepared for active combat on the battlefield.

Respect the power of public opinion

In the age of social media, the dissemination of information is quick and convenient, which is both a virtue and a curse. Although public opinion may sometimes seem extreme, it can also serve as a means to monitor the effectiveness of governmental operations. We can only guide public opinion – we cannot stop it.

Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked. We need to create a new system rather than sticking to set specifications for the selection and supervision of officials, so the top talent can assume important positions and form a stronger team.

Mobilize all forces to join hands

In the face of crisis, it is neither realistic nor efficient to take on everything alone. The related organizations may not only lack of expertise, but also perform well due to self-interest and intention to hold the power. 

Learning from experience can prevent the recurrence of crises

The epidemic will come to an end sooner or later. But when it is over, if we only praise the achievements, we lose the important opportunity for reflection the disaster has given us.

A confident China should accept both enthusiastic praise and be able to withstand sincere criticism, and the same is true of other governments around the world.

Always be optimistic

No matter how grim the situation seems, Chinese people are always kind and hardworking. We are not short of brave and dedicated experts, media personnel, medical workers and civil servants at every level who are willing to take the lead.

This is true for countries and even more so for businesses. Any enterprise may face crises, both in operations and communication.

For example, during this outbreak we have seen the educational institutions with online teaching capabilities are not only able to withstand the crisis, but are becoming bigger and stronger. However, the institutions that only have offline capabilities have been hit hard. This is a risk and crisis in business operations.

Just as we need strong epidemic-prevention measures, enterprises ought to create their own comprehensive crisis management system. They need to prepare by implementing measures, such as establishing crisis management teams, conducting simulation exercises, preparing crisis plans and organizing training speakers. Only in this way can we be methodical in resolving a crisis, withstand any difficulties that may arise and create a brand that can last centuries.

If you'd like to sign up for our weekly COVID-19 updates, click here.

Jerry is a partner with the agency and oversees business operations, growth and client service for all of China, fostering expansion throughout Asia Pacific and around the world. He is a recognized expert in corporate communications, with experience in crisis management, public affairs, B2B and technology.

PWNA provides goods and services to its Native American partners to support programs in and meet needs of tribal communities. These partners identify what kinds of distributions and services would best make an impact on community members. PWNA supports its self-determined goals by delivering supplies to help address basic day-to-day needs for immediate relief and offering support for capacity building, like nutrition and leadership training or emergency preparedness planning.

Now, more than ever, there is a shortage of healthy food, safe drinking water, healthcare and retail services to sustain these remote reservation communities. The Elders now find the shelves empty of their most basic supplies. With the lack of pubic transportation and access to full-service grocery stores, PWNA serves as a first responder and essential link in the Native American community’s supply chain. 

My family and I had the chance to spend a day on the Navajo Reservation a few years ago. There, we packaged supplies, such as water, blankets and food, and then we hand-delivered these and a hot meal to the Elders who could not make it down to the PWNA-supported community center. We saw up-close, these grateful and wonderful people who were so appreciative of our help and a conversation. Our family was changed by this experience, and we understand how others can stand up to make a difference today. 

The media is not covering the Native American story! The reservations need basic supplies, including food, water, baby formula, toilet paper, sanitizer and other essentials, to get through the COVID-19 pandemic. I encourage you to learn more about PWNA and the issues Native Americans face today. Don’t ever forget!

If you’re a nonprofit in need of advice on how to navigate these challenging times, get in touch at scottp@allisonpr.com or sign up for our weekly COVID-19 updates. 

Scott is a co-founder of the agency and leads Allison+Partners’ Social Impact group. Scott has extensive experience providing communications and crisis counsel to nonprofit organizations and developing board + ambassador training programs.

Here are steps to consider as the story evolves:

• Do your people see and hear regularly from your leadership? And do your leaders communicate in different channels? You might suddenly need a microsite, YouTube channel or digital townhall. Or, you might need executives to create content on their cell phones where quick edits can add polish.
• Do you focus your communications on the human element that addresses your employees’ emotions and realities? In a time crunch, talking points might get cut and pasted from one communication to another, but this is something you’d never do in person without context. Keep your humanity front and center.
• Are there ways to turn previous office customs into virtual experiences? Recognizing birthdays, marking work anniversaries and brainstorms should not stop because your workforce is distributed. In the near-term, Zoom and other virtual services can help. Even happy hours have gone virtual.
• Do you survey your stakeholder community with quick pulse surveys and deeper assessments to get a better understanding of their emotional well-being and professional needs? Don’t assume you know what employees think because there’s no playbook here, and everyone experiences this individually at home. There might be something easy you can do for working parents who now homeschool or for individuals who live alone and face severe isolation.
• Are you planning communications for the new normal? It may be weeks from now, but employees will want assurances it’s safe. The patches built to address today’s issues might need to shift again.
• Do your people managers have the tools and skills to manage a remote team? Compared with face-to-face meetings, a lot can get lost in email. Make sure your team has the support they need to communicate with employees and help them through this situation.

J.W. Marriott said, “If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers and your business will take care of itself.” The hospitality legend knew who had the biggest impact on his organization – the people on the front lines. 

In this difficult situation, take some time out of your day to care for them.

If you'd like to sign up for our weekly COVID-19 updates, click here 

Todd is a senior vice president at Allison+Partners, where he leads a team of integrated marketers and brings together multi-disciplinary campaign elements to create compelling programs for clients.

The questions are endless, but they don't have to remain unanswered. At this time, marketers and communicators should immediately rely on research, insights and optimization to fuel a strong post-pandemic marketing and communications strategy.

Here are four easy-to-implement, quick-to-conclusion steps marketers can take to formulate a winning post-pandemic plan in what will likely be a hyper-competitive marketplace:

Run a quick marketing mix modeling, including time lag, to optimize spend. Once a costly, long-to-insight function, MMM can now produce results in days or weeks. If you haven't run an MMM exercise in a while or never, now is the time. They allow you to discover the channels that produce the most impact so you can allocate funds properly. Brands that know which channels move the needle and move it the quickest will win.

Survey your customers. The pandemic may have permanently or temporarily changed how your customers see your business. Now is the time to learn how they think about your brand, how their purchasing mood may have changed and other insights that can help you formulate a post-pandemic strategy.

Post-pandemic messaging, content and creative testing. Your customer's attitude about your brand, and its place in the world, could very well change in a post-pandemic world. Based on informed insights like customer surveys, you may have to change messaging, content and creative to meet how your customers now think about your industry, brand or product.

Are you going to do it in a bubble? If not, you need to implement testing to ensure you don't miss the mark. Some brands will miss it hard. Don't be one of them.

Improve your industry and competitor insights. Your competitors are up to something and your industry may change, possibly forever. Marketers or communicators that don't monitor their industry and competitors in multiple channels are likely doing their entire organization a disservice, at best.

A post-pandemic world may be the same, or it may be different. You can't assume either. Therefore, the brands that invest in research, insights and optimization today will be the ones that accelerate the fastest in a post-pandemic world.

Brent Diggins is managing director of measurement and analytics and can be reached at brent@allisonpr.com.

The stimulus package includes a massive $58 billion bailout for the airline industry, with some strings attached. Companies that receive a portion of these funds will be unable to lay off any of their workforce until the fall and will be barred from engaging in stock buybacks until one year after they stop receiving assistance.

The stimulus package also restricts its recipients’ executive compensation and bonuses. While the airline industry will receive a substantial amount of these funds, some $500 billion in total has been allocated for larger industries. This amount has already generated some pushback from progressive Democrats, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who called for more worker protections. While this could threaten the chances of the bill passing via unanimous consent, like it did in the Senate, it will have little impact on the overall House vote. In her press conference, Pelosi addressed these concerns, asserting the democrats had “performed jujitsu” on the bill to increase workforce protections and limit corporate handouts.

One of the core pieces of this bill assistance to small businesses. It dedicates $367 billion in loans to businesses with fewer than 500 employees that pledge to retain their workforce during the COVID-19 crisis. The loan period will begin once the bill is signed into law and would last until June 30, 2020. It remains unclear what percentage of these loans will ultimately be forgiven, effectively turning them into grants. At this time, widespread loan forgiveness appears unlikely.

Payroll-tax relief provisions are another critical piece of this stimulus for small to midsize business. Those that continue to employ their workers throughout the crisis will be eligible for tax credits and deferments on payroll taxes for 2020. Some 50% of these deferred taxes would be paid off in 2021, while the remaining 50% would be paid in 2022. Maintaining employment at the small business level is at the core of these allocated funds, but the limited amount of tax and loan forgiveness may deter certain businesses from accepting the aid to keep their workforces intact.

At the individual level, the stimulus package dedicates direct payments of $1,200 to most individuals making up to $75,000 a year or $2,400 to couples making up to $150,000 a year. It also grants $500 per child. The amount decreases at an unspecified rate after the $75,000 threshold and cuts off at $99,000. While this piece of the stimulus has generated a great deal of attention over the past few weeks, these checks will take some time to hit bank accounts. Eligible Americans with direct-deposit bank account information on file with the IRS (roughly 70 million) will see payments “within a few weeks of the bill being signed into law.”

Along with these payments, unemployment insurance has been expanded by 13 weeks and will include four months of “enhanced” benefits, which amounts to an additional $600 per week. Additional individual relief includes suspending federal student loan payments through Sept. 30 without interest accrual and requiring group health plans and insurance providers to cover the costs of preventative COVID-19 services.

Business leaders and individuals should be cautious about this historic stimulus package. Details about implementation and management remain unknown. And even after President Donald Trump signs it into law, it will be a considerable period before you, your business or your communities see real dollar figure relief. This waiting period is absolutely critical on a personal and professional level, and we recommend exercising extreme prudence in the coming weeks and months.

Above all else, we all must continue adhering to all CDC and local guidelines to help expedite our fight against this virus. The true stimulus will come when we have demonstrated control over COVID-19. The sooner we can reach that point, the better for our personal and economic health and well-being.  

If you'd like to sign up for our weekly COVID-19 updates, click here.

Barbara Laidlaw brings 25 years of experience developing and running programs that help companies prepare, protect, and defend their brand reputation through global and national events, recalls, litigation, data breaches, regulatory issues and labor disputes.

Josiah Adams works on Allison + Partners’ global risk + issues management team and provides federal, state and local policy insights.  

As an HR professional, it’s difficult not to worry about your staff during this time. I find myself trying to come up a with one solution that fits all, but unfortunately there is no one perfect answer.  What I can do, is provide guidance on everyone’s new normal and how to manage through this unfamiliar stress.

Absolutely have a routine, but know it won’t be the same as your normal one. Set alarms for meals and breaks, carve out time for your family, a facetime call with your loved ones and, of course, your workout at home. Companies will need to be flexible for all employees. Give parents time to teach science, and give the employees who live in the 450-square-foot Manhattan flat a break from their tiny space. With the proper communication within a team, this uncomfortable living will soon feel comfortable.

As for communication, there is no time like the present to overdo it. Employees want to hear from everyone, including leaders. Employers can eliminate employee stress with daily calls and emails. Nothing is more comforting than waking up to an email from your CEO letting everyone know they are thinking of them and their families. Communicate your new routine to your team. Let them know you will be unavailable from 10 a.m.-11 a.m., that way you won’t be interrupted in the middle of your fourth-grade reading lesson. I also encourage virtual meetings and happy hours with your teams. It’s important to continue to celebrate the culture you worked so hard to develop. Seeing a familiar face after a long day of managing work, the news, and two pots of mediocre coffee will generate some normality and calm.

Although much of the population has taken a liking to the at-home workouts, they aren’t for everyone. It’s still critical to give our brains and bodies healthy attention. Whether it’s an e-book, or a real book, a podcast, meditation app, a puzzle, Jenga with your 5-year old or a trip to the dog park, detaching from the business and having some self-care is important. A social media cleanse in the evening is suggested. Staying off your phone at night will allow for a less stressful evening and more restful sleep. I promise you, everyone’s stories and latest TikTok videos will still be there for your viewing pleasure in the morning. 

Lastly, it’s time to be kind to each other. Take the time to say thank you, say sorry if an apology is needed, acknowledge the employees who worked over the weekend or send an email to see how your peers are doing across the country. Remember that no one is in this alone, and the slightest effort will make this time feel less lonely. Gratitude is proven to boost mental health and can do miracles for our new normal. Be a part of someone’s journey to getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. It’s time for us to be grateful for what we have and the people around us.

If you'd like to sign up for our weekly COVID-19 updates, click here.

 Ashleigh is the Global Chief Talent Officer at Allison + Partners. Her main focus is on building up our people, culture and finding ways to enhance the employee life cycle.

As a result, the brands and companies behind the products on shelf are in a paramount position. They have a unique and fleeting opportunity to connect with consumers in a way that helps settle and bring them comfort – something much needed during a time when there are more questions than answers.

As brands take advantage of this opportunity to connect with consumers in a new way, it’s critical they tread lightly. There is heightened awareness about how to communicate – and there is a right and wrong way to do it. Following are a few guidelines for brands and communicators to consider as they decide how to engage with consumers during this time.

• Give Back. CPG food + beverage brands that have experienced a surge in sales as consumers stock their pantries can use funds and resources to support those who struggle. Brands that can do their part to give back, must do so with no strings attached. Whether consciously or not, consumers want brands to step up, and being a good corporate citizen during this global pandemic will have a lasting impact on how consumers think about and support brands in the future.  
• Continue to Share Brand News, But Be Authentic. As food + beverage brands rethink their social media tone and content strategy to respect sensitivities, many use these channels to highlight scheduled product launches and find ways to relay their messages in an appropriate manner that is careful, considerate and relevant in today’s challenging environment. Brands looking to introduce new products or SKUs can still do so by leaning into a tone focused on bringing more lightness and brightness to the world, while also responding more directly to the pandemic and acknowledging the current issues the public faces. 
• Encourage At-Home Brand Engagement. There is a tremendous uptick in sharing creative food dishes families make at home due to widespread social distancing recommendations. This introduces opportunities for food and drink brands to source creative recipes that tap into ingredients many already have at home and can test, create and enjoy. Consider leveraging a network of friendly social influencers who still develop unique content for their channels to help co-create these recipes and push out widely. Or consider taking it a step further and use social listening to identify consumers using your product and send out surprise-and-delight mailers with product to deepen the relationship.
• Over-Communicate. Consider leveraging social media to keep consumers up to date on product availability to combat disappointment at the shelf. Use this channel to share where and when product can be found. Or if possible, consider pivoting to direct-to-consumer product deliveries as needed, even if in a limited capacity.

While the COVID-19 situation evolves, consumers will continue to look to the brands they know and love to find comfort during a trying time. If done with a tone of empathy, humanity and understanding, brands can not only strengthen the bonds they have with current brand advocates, they can also connect with new consumers and make them customers for life.  

If you'd like to sign up for our weekly COVID-19 updates, click here.

Cheryl Weissman brings 15 years of experience to Allison+Partners’ Consumer Brands practice and leads the agency’s food and beverage specialty. She is responsible for the strategic management of account teams within the category across the agency, supervising client activities, providing counsel and helping some of the world's leading food and beverage brands navigate the ever-changing world of public relations.

"In a way, we co-created the position," global president Jonathan Heit told PRWeek. "It was a combination of Jeremy's experience, our expanded capabilities (eg data analytics, content marketing, advisory services) as an agency and the ongoing growth as our clients scale in the region and we continue to grow. We are coming off the best year in the history of our agency, and APAC set the pace for much of that growth. This position is a natural evolution of our agency's growth and Jeremy is ideally suited to take it on."

Seow fills the gap left by APAC MD Serina Tan who departed the agency after starting Allison+Partners' Singapore office in 2014. She left to spend time with her family.

Seow's appointment is complemented by the promotion of longtime senior consultant Shen Jegathesan to vice president. Jegathesan has served as a senior advisor to the Singapore team since its early days. Both she and Seow will work closely with Heit and director Lewis Moh.

While Seow will spend time working with all the regional offices, his primary focus is Singapore-based clients and their needs both locally and in Southeast Asia.

On whether Seow and Jegathesan will be facing challenges in their new roles in the middle of a global crisis, Heit said that both of them have experienced crises before, such as SARS in 2002 and the global financial crisis of 2008, and that their experience will be of great value to the team and clients.

"From an economic standpoint, our priority is making sure that our clients are positioned for long-term success. We are incredibly nimble, and have been working around the world on programmes for clients that address everything from business continuity to video and digital product launches to replace live events," said Heit.

"Nevertheless, these are unprecedented times. The top priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of our team. This has led to us enlisting work from home policies that are not something anyone is accustomed to.

"Jeremy's onboarding has taken place entirely over video conference, as have all of our recent pitches and client meetings. Maintaining the incredible sense of community and culture that differentiates our office while folks can communicate only virtually is something the leadership in Singapore has taken on as an immediate priority."

However, many companies are unable to help. They need to help themselves. They need ways to reach their customers when the media is focused on the current news. They need to reach their employees, many of whom are working from home for the first time. They need new ways to keep their teams engaged and motivated.

Nonprofit partnerships can help make a difference. These cause-related relationships are more than transactional – they are about making an authentic difference, positively impacting both consumers and donors. Here are ways that charities can help support a company:

• Indirect access to donors and volunteers – Nonprofits have strong and loyal donors and volunteer databases of individuals who support them. Newsletters and emails can be tapped to recognize a company and share its news as a partner.
• Webinars, online content, events and conference calls - Nonprofits are using new ways to communicate and reach their supporters. Whether through Zoom and Skype or social media channels, this is an opportunity for brands to provide thought leadership, guidance and support.
• Employee engagement – Companies build partnership with many different types charities, whether in the arts, youth activities, health and wellness, etc. Most causes have employee engagement programs. Traditional walks, runs, golf tournaments and galas are on hold. However, charities can still host virtual events, post video content and provide tips for exercise, mental health and online projects.
• Volunteer projects – Employees can still volunteer their time, but they can do it from home. Companies can work with charity partners to create a call to action, empower team members to make a difference… whether that is through a fundraising campaign, sending get well cards to senior centers and youth organizations, or donating gift cards. Brainstorm fun, easy-to-implement things.
• Influencer relations – Don’t forget the power of influencers. Many charities, like brands, have celebrity and social influencers who support their causes. They can create campaigns that offer followers and donors positive tips, activities or a fundraising call to action during this critical time. Through a past A+P whitepaper, Powerful Connections, we found those who followed influencers authentically linked to a brand would either donate or volunteer at a much higher rate (33%) than direct mail. 

Lastly, Percent Pledge (a current client) can also help employers connect employees to nonprofits in a remote-friendly way. Their easy-to-use technology helps employees donate to any nonprofits the company supports, then keeps those employees engaged with personalized impact reports. Remember, your charities are your partners; now they can help you engage newly remote teams while you help them during this time of increased need!

Remember, your charities are your partners – they are here for you in times of duress just as your companies are there for them!

If you’re a nonprofit in need of advice on how to navigate these challenging times, get in touch at scottp@allisonpr.com or sign up for our weekly COVID-19 updates.

Scott is a co-founder of the agency and leads Allison+Partners’ Social Impact group. Scott has extensive experience providing communications and crisis counsel to nonprofit organizations and developing board + ambassador training programs.

With major conferences, sporting events, movies and concerts canceled and or postponed, universities closing their doors, employers increasing telework, and cities restricting public gatherings to less than 250 people, nonprofits must now evaluate their assets and prioritize how they plan to use and raise their funds.

I met recently with a charity whose operating budget was less than $500,000 and that depends on coordinating public events and training. Its operating budget will go dry in less than a year if it cannot host its events. This will be a huge challenge.

Thinking about this more deeply, and taking into account the survival for many, I wondered what advice I could offer. What can nonprofits do to keep their lights on? They could ask for federal dollars or foundation grants, but hundreds of thousands of charities out there will try to do the same thing. So, I started considering a charity’s own foundation – its aha moment for “being” – and I came up with the following thoughts:

• If your charity has a solid reason for being and you focus on your mission, don’t turn away. Just fight harder.
• Getting mainstream media will be a challenge, so talk to your base. These are your loyal followers and volunteers, people who care about your mission and its survival. Don’t hide from them – share with them what is happening and whether you need support.
• Do you have authentic relationships with your existing corporate and grant makers? These folks are invested in your organization. You can’t expect them to come to the table with a lot more, but can you talk with them about staying with you and helping with in-kind donations and related services your organization might need. Vice versa, if they have issues, is there something your charity can do to help?

Your long-term relationships are like family. It’s not about Giving Tuesday once a year. It’s about authentic, responsible and transparent (ART) relationships that in times like this bring together your supporters. Talk with them, use your social media, and use existing direct mail outreach strategies, flyers and newsletters. It’s OK to still pick up your phone or host a video call and talk with people. If you don’t believe in your mission or highlight what is needed to survive, it will disappear. It is here for a reason. Fight for it, and never give up. Roll up your sleeves, lean on your board, advisors and staff – this is a battle you do not have to fight alone.  

Update: As a result of this post, Scott was invited by the Center for Nonprofits to share his insights to a group of over 200 nonprofits partners. You can see a recording of the webinar here.

If you'd like to sign up for our weekly COVID-19 updates, click here.

If you’re a nonprofit in need of advice on how to navigate these challenging times, get in touch at scottp@allisonpr.com.

Scott is a co-founder of the agency and leads Allison+Partners’ Social Impact group. Scott has extensive experience providing communications and crisis counsel to nonprofit organizations and developing board + ambassador training programs.

Set Clear Expectations and Engage Regularly.

Once the decision has been made to direct your employees to work remotely, increased and effective communication between managers and their employees will be critical to keeping your business running and your employees confident. Make sure to set clear expectations with your team on how you will work together remotely on projects. One way to immediately bolster your internal communications is to require more frequent check-ins. If an employee usually provides a daily report or in-person meeting with their manager, increasing that to two or even three touchpoints can keep everyone on track without adding undue stress to the system. Putting a premium on video conferencing or internal communications programs like Slack or Microsoft Teams is an effective way to make productive remote work more feasible.

Along with circulating business-specific communications materials, companies should also provide their employees with up-to-date information regarding COVID-19, CDC and WHO guidelines and company policies. This will improve internal processes because it ensures everyone has access to the same materials. This will also serve to reassure a remote workforce during uncertain times.   

Assess Your Current Internal Communication Strategy.

Your leadership team will also need to make changes in how they perform their day-to-day tasks. During a situation like this, leadership teams may need to communicate with each other, their direct reports and all employees more frequently. This can be done through company-wide emails, conference calls, newsletters or other forms of mass communication. Whatever the platform is for this communication, making sure that employees do not feel like they are in the dark or at risk is key. Leaders should also be aware that this type of sudden change will often times not go smoothly. Some employees will require different accommodations than others, such as technical assistance or special schedules. Working with your employees to develop a work from home plan that actually works for them will reduce disruptions in your business operations.  

Identify Key Metrics to Track for Success.

Leadership teams are already reviewing and updating crisis plans that address an employee, a member of the leadership team or their family members testing positive for COVID-19. This will require increased communication between members of the leadership team and key stakeholders. Ideally, the C-Suite has already reviewed and put in place business continuity plans should an executive fall ill and will be planning messaging for both internal and external stakeholders. Financial impact is no less a consideration during a pandemic than protecting a company’s most important asset – their employees.

In order to ensure success, the leadership team as well as employees will need unfettered access to the tools they use daily in an office setting, including access to all internal databases, customer delivery systems and Human Resources tracking programs. It may be necessary initially to check performance by a group or single employee on a more frequent basis to be able to assess issues before they become ongoing problems. Regular utilization and performance check-ins must be maintained, and frequent customer and stakeholder check-ins will help measure productivity and ensure success.

There is still much we do not know about the extent of the spread of COVID-19, both in numbers and in timeline. The best practice any businesses’ leadership team can take is to ensure constant and clear communication from the top-down, create contingencies for identified risks and focus on maintaining as normal day-to-day as possible given the fluidity of this situation.

If you'd like to sign up for our weekly COVID-19 updates, click here.

Barbara Laidlaw brings 25 years of experience developing and running programs that help companies prepare, protect, and defend their brand reputation through global and national events, recalls, litigation, data breaches, regulatory issues and labor disputes.

Reach is not everything. In the meantime, many companies have recognized the value of micro-influencers for their own brand. While this influencer type cannot come up with seven-digit follower numbers, it scores with its reputation in a special, often very niche community and with impressive engagement rates.

Exactly this authenticity and the closeness to the followers make micro influencers very valuable partners. Because in our information society, personal recommendations from friends are still the most important influencing factor for consumers when making a purchase decision - and micro-influencers are most likely to establish this personal relationship with their audience.     

But how do you find a micro influencer? Often these are in very narrow thematic areas and do not stand out in the crowd as much as well-known mega-influencers. Therefore, identifying a suitable partner is often like looking for a needle in a haystack. We present different starting points for the search.

Preparation is everything

Set a clear goal for the planned influencer campaign before you begin the actual search. Whether the sales figures for a product or the share of voice should be increased - the influencer must match the hoped-for result. The budget available and the appropriate metrics to measure the success of the project must also be defined in advance.

1. For starters: manual searches on search engines and social media

To begin with, search through common search engines using relevant keywords. When searching, first look for influencer lists that are created by blogs or online media on specific topics. It is often possible to identify other possible partners by looking at the influencers' social media channels - because there is usually lively interaction, especially in narrowly defined specialist areas.

In addition, the search for relevant hashtags on social media can already provide initial results and by subscribing to these keywords, you are always up to date on new developments.

2. Smart search: use tools and databases

Manual and therefore time-consuming searches on social media and search engines provide an initial overview and serve to define the most important requirements for an influencer. If you now know exactly what you are looking for, databases and search tools help you to comb all of the influencers in question using exactly these criteria. For example, the HYPR and Tagger applications offer valuable insights.

Depending on the functionality of the tool, you can filter not only the subject area but also the social media platform, reach, target group and location. The latter category can be extremely useful when planning events. 

Don't blindly rely on the information provided by automated applications when calculating reach and engagement. Because this data can sometimes be very volatile and outdated.

3. Offline suchen: Networking, networking, networking

Finally, it can pay off to take unconventional paths and continue your search offline. You should also think about where suitable partners could be found. For example, are there events or trade fairs where you can make interesting contacts?

If an exciting campaign is planned and if there are appropriate monetary incentives to participate, the posting of posters in relevant locations such as universities can help to reach the right target group.  

No matter what topic a partner is looking for, it is always worth keeping your eyes and ears open. Maybe the right micro-influencer is already part of your wider circle of acquaintances.

How do brands manage to build successful relationships with influencers? How can you measure the success of influencer campaigns? And what changes is the influencer landscape currently undergoing? Further information and studies on these topics can be found here .

Climate protection, sustainability, living free of plastics - the buzzwords for a better world are becoming increasingly popular. But even on a large scale, responsible use of natural resources is becoming increasingly prevalent. Cities call out the climate emergency and not only draw attention to the topic, they also set specific goals. Whole countries forbid plastic bags, whole continents forbid one-way plastic, and people all over the world demonstrate against climate change.

But we all know: just talking doesn't help. Change begins on a small scale: at home and at work.

What does zero waste mean anyway?

Zero waste does not mean that from now on no more waste can be produced. Rather, it is about keeping the amount of waste as low as possible and conserving valuable resources. This applies to individual behavior in your own household, but also in the office or at work.

Here are some ideas on how to make everyday work more sustainable and resource-efficient, for example. We have already implemented some things at Allison + Partners, but we still have some room for improvement.

        The way to work

1. The way to work becomes more environmentally friendly on foot, by bike or skateboard, even if you only cover part of the way.
2. If you live further away or have customer appointments in the area, you should stick to public transport and use the bus or train.
3. Some superiors promote a sustainable way to work (e.g. with job tickets for public transport) - just ask!
4. For other business trips, it is a good idea to also see the train as the first option when choosing the means of transport. It is a good alternative to an airplane, especially on domestic routes.
   

   The desk

5. Did you know that there are staplers without staples? You can easily staple up to 10 sheets together.
6. Instead of highlighters (these often contain harmful ingredients and are made of plastic), you can also use colored pencil markers or refillable water-based fiber pens.
7. Refillable pens (fountain pens, pens, etc.) are a good way to conserve resources.
8. Erasers are made of natural rubber as an alternative to the usual rubber-like plastic mass.
9. Recycled paper hardly differs from newly produced paper and is more sustainable. You can also print / write on both sides of paper. In addition, notes do not have to be handwritten, but can also be noted online, in various apps or programs.
10. Anyone who prints (internal) prints in Eco mode ensures that the printer cartridge lasts longer.
    

    The office kitchen

11. How about meal prep or freshly cooked instead of food-to-go? This not only saves packaging waste, but also saves your wallet.
12. Reusable to-go containers are worth an investment - for example, we have office boxes in which you can pack the rest of your lunch.
13. If you cook together with your colleagues, you can buy large packs and save packaging.
14. Fruit deliveries are a welcome icing on the cake in our everyday agency work. Every Monday at Allison + Partners in Munich there is a large basket of fresh, unpacked organic fruit.
15. If you rely on coffee beans or powder instead of capsule or pad coffee, you avoid a large amount of waste that can often not be recycled.
16. Sugar and milk can be provided fresh and not individually packaged - even in meetings.
17. Much resources are used for meat production, so it is worth reducing meat dishes and paying attention to organic quality. There are four vegetarians and one vegan on our team who set a good example.
18. We do not use water from plastic bottles and use a water bubbler to make the necessary "blubbs".
19. Cloth napkins not only look nicer than the paper version, they are also more sustainable.
    
    
    

    The cleaning

20. Vinegar, soda, citric acid and, if necessary, baking soda or core soap - you don't need a separate cleaning agent for every corner. With these five basic ingredients you can put together all the necessary cleaning agents.
21. Washing up works perfectly with washable rags, no disposable kitchen towels are required. In addition, there are flushing brushes, where you can easily replace the brush head as soon as it has had its day.
22. Another big issue is waste separation: in large offices everything ends up in the same bucket. A system for separating plastic, paper, organic, residual and glass / can waste is not that difficult to implement. Some waste can also be collected for a good cause, such as for organizations like Terracycle or Blechwech .
    

    Mail delivery

23. Envelopes can be reused as long as you comply with the GDPR and make the name of the original sender unrecognizable. With a note on the envelope such as "for the sake of the environment", it is usually not understood as a low appreciation.
24. Shredded paper can be ideally used as an alternative to bubble wrap as packaging material. Of course, this is only possible with a GDPR-compliant shredder.
25. If you use envelopes without a window, professional disposal is easier for the recipient.
26. Self-moistening stamps contain less pollutants than self-adhesive stamps.
    
    
    

    The power supply

27. There are energy-saving functions for almost all devices, while the rest can be fitted with time switches that completely separate the device from the circuit. But even without a timer, the devices should not be switched to standby mode in the evening, but switched off.
28. Archives require data server storage capacity, so you should delete old mails regularly or archive them offline if necessary.
29. A darker screen background consumes less power than a lighter one. Programs can often be changed easily.
30. Sustainability is also important when choosing a search engine: Ecosia, for example, plants a tree for every search query.
31. Rechargeable batteries can be used for battery-operated devices to avoid waste.
32. LED lighting uses less electricity than halogen lamps or even classic incandescent lamps. The exchange is also worthwhile because of their longer lifespan.
33. When nobody is in the room: lights off, heating off, windows closed!
34. If you use the stairs instead of the elevator, you save energy on the one hand - on the other hand you do something for your fitness.
35. For hot summer days: fans require less energy than air conditioning.
    

    The purchase

36. It is better to rarely make large purchases than to buy small quantities more often. In addition, local and regional products often have the smaller carbon footprint.
37. If you don't want to do without the convenient delivery service, you should choose a single supplier who can supply all the products you need. There are also sustainable mail order companies like Memo or Manomeer .
38. Second-hand is the way to keep mountains of garbage small. Ebay classifieds is a real treasure trove - and up-cycling can give the office a very individual touch.
    

    The sanitary area

39. Wherever possible, you should avoid hot water or use instantaneous water heaters that only produce hot water when it is really needed.
40. According to studies, solid soap is just as hygienic as liquid soap, but it requires less chemical resources - and less packaging.
41. What applies to serviettes is also true for towels: washing instead of throwing away saves garbage.
42. By the way, toilet paper made from recycled paper is also available in satisfactory quality.
    
    
    

    The meeting

43. An energy-efficient projector saves electricity and is therefore very valuable from an ecological perspective.
44. A magnetic whiteboard can be written on again and again and is generally preferable to flipchart or pinboard paper.
45. Handouts via PDF are a good alternative to paper documents.
    

    The business trip

46. The A du O: One should first consider whether the trip can not be replaced by a video conference.
47. The CO2 consumed for the arrival and departure can be  offset through projects such as Atmosfair .
48. Anyone who spends the necessary nights in organic hotels is also doing good, because these hotels pay particular attention to sustainability.
    

    The company event

49. The activities for company outings should be taken very deliberately: archery instead of paintball, trampoline park instead of karting, museum visit instead of art workshop. This means that fewer resources are used, such as paint, fuel or electricity.
50. Decoration and information stands can be used for trade fair appearances, which can be reused at other trade fairs. Anyone who pays attention to timeless formulations on brochures and print material can use them in the long term.
    
    

Our concrete result:

In our self-assessment, we found that we are already implementing 27 of these 50 best practices, especially in the kitchen. However, there is still a lot to do. Next we want to devote more attention to the topic of power supply.