Jonathan Birch is Creative Director at the SEO and digital marketing agency Glass Digital. Here, he shares his top tips for companies looking to spread some positivity during these unprecedented times.
As the coronavirus continues to have an impact on everything from people’s health to their finances, this is a very uncertain time for everyone. And, if you’re a business owner, you might be struggling to work out how you can help keep your livelihood afloat without being insensitive or ignorant of the current situation.
Spreading positivity through your usual marketing channels will remind your customers that you’re still operating, while also helping them through this crisis. But deciding on the best way to do this can be easier said than done. Here are my top tips for making the digital space a little brighter during these trying times.
If you’re doing any charitable work, let your customers know
If you’re able to alleviate the strain that the coronavirus has put on the world in some way, you should. Perhaps you could donate to a charity that’s really helping people out at the moment, or you could offer free products or services to key workers. Some manufacturers have even pivoted their operations to make necessities that are currently in short supply, such as medical masks and hand sanitiser.
If you’re able to do your part to help in some way, let your customers know. A lot of businesses are being held to account for not stepping up to the plate at the moment, but your loyal customers will be relieved to see you do so. It could just earn you some new fans, too.
Spread positive news
Of course, the coronavirus is having a negative impact on a lot of people’s lives, but it’s also caused communities to come together to make things a little bit brighter. As a result, there are a lot of positive news stories coming out of this pandemic, too, and you can really help to give people a break from all of this doom and gloom by sharing some of them.
Consider starting a Twitter thread of happy news stories that crop up over the coming weeks, or add them to your Instagram story every once in a while. If a lot of positive stories are coming out of your industry in particular, you could even produce weekly blog posts highlighting how your sector is helping. Social media users are all looking for ways to lift their spirits at the moment, so any positive news you put out there is likely to be shared far and wide.
Put any of your customers’ concerns to rest
Whether we’re worried about our loved ones’ health, the stability of our jobs, or are just struggling with the lack of social contact, we’re all dealing with a lot at the moment. So, make sure you aren’t giving your customers anything else to be concerned about. If people start to get in touch with potential problems — perhaps they want to return something but won’t be able to get to the Post Office for a few more weeks, or they want to know what precautions your delivery drivers are taking — make sure you can put their minds at ease.
It’s also worth noting that, if one person contacts you with a question, it’s likely there’ll be others out there with the same worries. So, make sure you get as much clear information out to your customers as possible. Use social media, your mailing list, and your website to answer any FAQs and outline how you’ll be operating over the coming weeks. This will help to reassure people and take one thing off their current list of worries. You can always just drop them all a message to let them know you’re thinking about them, too.