Even when business isn’t business as usual, the show must go on.
To weather through this global crisis, brands must maintain their relationships with their audiences while preparing for recovery in the post-COVID-19 economy. It will get better.
One of the most difficult tasks for businesses is to maintain proper communication with their audiences during a crisis.
Whether in times of a natural disaster, local emergency or a serious virus like the COVID-19, you need to find a way to stay in touch and keep your clients engaged for several reasons:
Brand trust: Your audience needs to know you’re reliable and will be available to help them pull through, in any way you can.
Brand loyalty: A natural consequence of being trustworthy is that your customers will be more invested into their bond with your brand.
Corporate responsibility: Although you’re not responsible for a crisis, you are responsible for handling communication throughout a crisis in a way that communicates involvement, empathy and active effort to alleviate the situation.
Here are a few tips that can help you handle crisis communications effectively:
- Act quickly: First impressions count. And your audience expects to hear from you. So, make sure you share your good wishes and tell them how the situation has affected you as soon as you can. Make sure you express emotion and involvement.
- Be compassionate and considerate: Your prospects and clients may be suffering due to the crisis. They might be scared and stressed as well. So, show that you care and that you understand what they are going through. Once they see that you show empathy they will easily perceive your message.
- Describe what actions you’re taking to deal with this situation: Let them see that you are dedicated during these hard times. Set an objective and share how you plan to commit to reaching it.
- Try to help: Depending on the type of business you are, you need to find a way to reassure your clients that you are available for support. A good way to start is to improve your customer care services and increase your social media and website availability. In other words, you should make it easy for them to reach you.
- Take a serious and involved tone: Even if a serious tone is not your typical type of brand voice, the situation demands it. Don’t sound entertaining and don’t make any jokes. Remember that some of these people may be affected by this situation. And by using an inappropriate tone you can turn them away.
- Don’t take advantage of the situation: Be careful not to use this situation to increase your profit. Don’t fall into the tendency to dump products or increase prices due to shortage. Though this may bring you success in the short term, it will affect your business negatively in the long term.
Communicate regularly: Share more content on your website and social media profiles to keep your audience engaged. However, don’t only focus on self-promotion but rather provide them with useful tips that can help them better cope with the situation.
Stay safe, and stay home.