The global impact of the novel coronavirus (and its disease, COVID-19) is a crisis unlike most of us have seen. The impact has hit virtually every part of modern life, from social events to schools to businesses of all sizes. In some cases, the impact has been decidedly negative. In others it’s been positive, such as the recent hiring announcements by online retailers like Amazon and grocery stores like Kroger.
In the face of all this, both you and your customers have your hands full. Depending on the industry you serve, buyers may be changing their purchasing behaviors. At the retail level, purchases are up for essentials and non-discretionary products, like groceries, pharmaceuticals, and household goods. On the other hand, clothing and travel are down. In the meantime, critical research projects continue.
But remember, we will eventually see the end of this health crisis. When we do, customers will remember the companies that did everything they could to help them get through it. Here are our top 5 tips for how you can help:
1. Now is not the time to be invisible.
If your company goes dark, customers will assume you’re in trouble (we pray that’s not the case). Depending on the industries you serve, you may be a vital part of the supply chain. Make sure your customers know, for instance, the latest on product availability, production schedules, online training options.
** Email, phone calls, and visibility on search engines and social media will keep you front and center. Make sure your web site has a section where you post the latest news.
2. Reassure your customers that you are available to help.
Your customers may be ramping up production in some areas and reducing it in others. They are looking for innovative ideas on how to manage these transitions, such as how to reinforce supply chains to keep resources moving to where they are needed or how to tweak automated production lines for changing volumes.
** Email and phone calls that offer practical advice will reassure your customers.
3. Provide multiple ways for customers to reach you…
even if many of your employees are working from home. This is where your IT department plays a critical role. Offer customers a choice of phone calls, video conference calls, chat rooms, discussion boards, etc. Work with them using the tools they are most comfortable with. For instance, we like using Zoom for video conferencing as it has an impressive array of features, like break-out rooms for small group discussions during conference calls.
** Phone, email, even fax…be available and make sure you have people monitoring these lines so you can respond promptly.
4. Keep the information and news flowing…
so customers know you are still the leading company you always were. Your company newsletter is a mint resource. Wherever your customers are working — at the facility or remotely — they will still be looking for answers to problems. They will continue to read industry publications and search for information and tutorials online. Keep your content engine producing educational articles, tips, technical tutorials, case histories, and more. Get these into the hands of industry publications and then use them in your newsletter.
Industry publications will continue to cover news in their markets. Make sure they know your company is on top of things. Send press releases about products and people. And get them those articles your team is writing.
** Keep your content generation program moving forward to get useful information out in your newsletter and via public relations.
5. NO newsjacking.
Newsjacking is injecting your products into a breaking news story in an attempt to generate media coverage and social media engagement. Do NOT take advantage of the health crisis to scare people into buying your products. That can have a huge negative impact on your brand. This is a global crisis. We all need to be helpful community partners.
For more information
The team at Telesian Technology is available to answer any of your marketing questions. A lot of marketing programs will move even more heavily to the digital realm: pay per click advertising, social media marketing, search engine optimization, digital public relations. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help.
Phone: +1 508-755-5242
Email: sharilee@telesian.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharilee/
