Use this guide to avoid alienating your subscribers and damaging your reputation.
During a crisis, your email communication can make or break your business. Even more importantly, it can help, hurt, or confuse people.
You can’t just ignore a crisis when it’s affecting your audience. With the outbreak of the 2020 Novel Coronavirus, email communication about the virus skyrocketed.
In fact, 12% of emails sent on March 12, 2020 from AWeber’s email marketing platform talked about Coronavirus and communication about the crisis doubled.
Here is an 8-step checklist to guide you through creating sensitive, thoughtful emails during the Coronavirus crisis.
8-step guide to write emails about the Coronavirus crisis
Step 1: Act quickly.
Your audience expects to hear from you. Don’t wait to communicate important information.
Waiting too long can negatively affect your brand reputation and also confuse or stress your audience. They may assume you don’t care or that you aren’t taking the situation seriously.
Step 2: Be compassionate and considerate.
Take time to think about how the crisis is having a direct impact on your community, customers, and followers.
Pause insensitive marketing campaigns — like contests or humorous content — and unnecessary events — like in-person workshops or conferences.
Step 3: Describe the actions you’re taking to deal with the situation.
Your customers, prospects, and community want to know what you’re doing to support the health, safety, and well-being of the community.
Ask yourself the following questions and consider addressing these questions in your email marketing communication:
- How are you cleaning your workplace or building differently?
- How are you protecting your customers and your staff?
- Have your hours of operation changed?
- Will your customers’ service be disrupted? Will product deliveries be delayed?
- How can customers contact you with questions?
- Where can customers get the latest information about how you’re handling the crisis?
Step 4: Try to help.
Businesses that take action to help those affected by the crisis will connect with their audience on a deeper level. People want to do business with brands who genuinely care. – Read more
