Inform and communicate effectively in times of uncertainty
In times of uncertainty, there are many people who want to help in various ways. Smartsign is one of the companies that want to offer some help to companies and people in general in order to alleviate the current situation. We are aware that many are talking about the need for information and the importance of having the right information at the right time. It’s about instructing, calming, warning and encouraging.
We’ve developed a simple template and provide updates on crisis information that can be displayed on screens. That’s what we’d like to contribute to the current situation. Smartsign customers get the template for free ‒ just add it to your Smartsign playlist and fill it with relevant information. We have a total of 25,000 screens scattered around the world, together they reach well over a million people every day. We encourage our customers to use the template ‒ you’ll be contributing to the spreading of relevant and important information.
Informing and communicating effectively can be difficult
As a person responsible for a company, business, municipality or other organization, what should you do to avoid this happening as much as possible? How can you help disseminate relevant information?
We have to express ourselves clearly.
We have to be relevant for the recipient.
We have to reach everyone through effective channels.
During this coronavirus crisis, your employees may be isolated at home instead of working together at the company. This exacerbates internal communication. Our customers and stakeholders may also need to be informed and given instructions. How do we reach them with up-to-date information? Smartsign offers a tool for sending information to a range of screens ‒ to large ones for indoor and outdoor environments and also to telephones and computers. The software allows you to control the information from your own computer and to simply update it whenever you want.
A few tips for your internal information
Keep your messages clear and brief.
The more words and complicated explanations you use, the greater the risk of misunderstandings.
Be relevant
Stick to information that is actually important for your employees. Don’t introduce other non-relevant matters: this could distract the recipient from the important message, which would thus not have the desired effect.
Be predictable
Your employees must know where they can find relevant and secure information. Ideally, provide updates at the same time each day.
The employees should know where they can find information
Use a number of available and secure channels known to your employees, thereby counteracting potential rumours and misinformation. The intranet or broadcasts via screens are possible channels.
Ideally, use illustrations – a picture is worth a thousand words
If possible, reinforce the information with a picture. People receive information in different ways. A good picture can clarify and explain.
A few tips for writing your external information
Basically, the same advice applies here as for internal communications.
- Be brief
- Be relevant
- Ideally, use pictures
- Be timely
Perhaps you’d like to offer your customers relevant information when they visit your company ‒ an information screen in the foyer can be an excellent channel to provide always up-to-date information
A template to help
We have developed a template focused on information around infection prevention – the topic that has the greatest relevance for most people right now.
You can download the template for free and we will also provide instructions for its intended use. Once the coronavirus crisis is over, you can use the template for other purposes.
How the template is structured
• Short texts with simple but important messages
• A total of 6 different messages at once
• Update frequently – at least once a day during a crisis situation
• Vary facts with prompts and instructions
• Be clear of who is the sender
• Choose background color to customized the template if desired
• Upload the template to your media library and edit it as usual (Applies to Smartsign 10)
• Want to change RSS feed or make more customizations? Unlock the template with password: smartsign (Applies to Smartsign 10)
Open the zip file before uploading the templates to the media library.
