Navigating Quiet Period in Communication

Have you heard about the Quiet Period? It is a phase when companies halt all kinds of PR and publicity campaigns for some time. Many communication professionals (comms pros) witness this event at some point in their profession. During a quiet period, brands avoid media attention and try to maintain a low-key as much as possible. Now the question is why do companies observe a quiet period? Companies usually refrain from media engagement and publicity when they gear up for major transitions like business restructuring or an Initial Public Offer (IPO). During arbitrations, legal teams advise spokespersons to refrain from making industry positioning statements/comments that might create legal complications. Several factors like the criticality of business reforms, guidelines set by legal/compliance teams, market sentiments and its impact on the business can influence the duration companies avoid media engagement.

The quiet period is challenging for PR and comms teams. They face a lot of limitations in running the show, and budget cuts impact their publicity campaigns. Companies are bound to exercise utmost care while sharing business information in the public domain. The legal team scrutinise every message in line with the publicity guidelines. Quiet period, if stretched too long can become frustrating for comms pros and put them in a tricky situation. Media relations is a critical aspect of public relations, and they cannot afford to remain invisible with journalists. Avoiding media queries can further hamper their relations and may result in negative coverage. Striking a balance between media visibility and legal framework can be tough for PR pros. However, patience and creativity can help them navigate the pressure during such critical times. Leveraging unconventional ways of communication can help them push brand narratives subtly without irking key stakeholders.

In today’s competitive landscape, brands cannot remain disconnected from their target audience for long. Comms pros may look into indirect ways of engagement during the Quiet period, which can help them enforce their brand message. While companies cannot quote on record, they may act as a credible source to journalists and offer them relevant information. Comms pros can also pitch their spokespersons as domain experts to help journalists with their preliminary research. This way, they can stay relevant and discover new avenues for PR. Participate in media/industry events to ensure brand visibility across the platforms. Internal communication has gained prominence in recent years. Many brands leverage employee communication to strengthen their reputation. Newsletters and EDMs are good ways to engage with internal stakeholders, share critical information and avoid miscommunication/rumours.

Human stories always help companies positively influence the larger public. PR pros can curate impactful customer success stories and pitch them in relevant media publications. Again it is not direct brand publicity but adds a lot of value to the image and credibility of the company. Not all customer success stories are relevant to mainstream media. They may explore niche/B2B media which focus on specific industries. They may draft articles on behalf of customers, pitch their interviews, and even explore paid partnerships like advertorials to promote their brands indirectly. Social media is a powerful platform to tell brand stories. Comms pros can run campaigns where they gather customer testimonies and publicise them from their social handles. Competitions/ quizzes/ sponsorships are other ways to stay connected with the target audience.

Quiet periods are critical and challenging for both companies and their comms teams. Any PR fiasco during these times can result in reputational loss. Navigating this phase can be tricky for comms pros but with creativity, they can tell impactful PR stories even with limited resources. However, they must ensure their efforts comply with legal frameworks to avoid unforeseen crises.

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Priyanka Pugaokar

Priyanka Pugaokar is a communications professional with expertise in internal and external communication, crisis communications, content generation and media relations. She holds over ten years of combined experience in communications and business journalism. She is currently associated with Rashi Peripherals Limited as Corporate Communications Manager and leads several strategic projects. She is an avid travel explorer. A lifelong learner, she holds interest in yoga, naturopathy, energy healing and crystallography.