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Could how you handle marketing during the COVID-19 pandemic kill your business?
Nobody wants to kill their business. Your job as business leaders is to find common ground with your high-paying clients, practice empathy and consider what they may be going through. But many so-called marketing sages are touting to take advantage of the crisis.
In my view one marketing phrase that should end is: “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” That rhetoric is attributed to Rahm Emanuel and originally Winston Churchill. Great speechifying, but the COVID-19 crisis is no time to get too promotional.
“Being pushy and promotional in times of distress makes businesses come across as too in-your-face and uncaring,” says marketing strategist Minal Sampat. “In times of crisis, it’s more important than ever to let customers know you’re genuinely there for them.”
Sampat and I became connected when she asked me to help edit her best-selling book, Why Your Marketing Is Killing Your Business. We met when we shared the stage at a marketing conference.
The pandemic has all of us adjusting to a new normal, says Sampat. With social distancing keeping people physically apart, it may seem difficult to make meaningful connections with clients and customers. However, this doesn’t have to be the case.
Sampat shared five ideas based on her book on how to correctly connect during this difficult time:
Understand that this is the time to offer help, not hype. “Many companies are trying to turn the pandemic into an opportunity to sell, rather than connect,” says Sampat. “Others have failed to pause promotional campaigns that were set to launch before the world came to a stop. This is a mistake. Find common ground.”
Know that human brains are hardwired for stories. “What we’re going through is a shared experience; connect by sharing your personal version of what’s going on,” says Sampat. “So tell a story. How are you managing having the kids home all day? What does meal planning look like for you right now? How are you spending your evenings? What is your new normal?”
Be present and visible. “If you don’t show up in this time of need, how can you expect your customers to?” asks Sampat. “Be approachable. Do anything to show that you’re there to talk and listen. Your business may be closed, but sharing content and connecting isn’t off the table. Virtual consults and easily accessible information will help keep customer connections strong through the pandemic. Those connections will be even stronger once we all come out on the other side. When and how can customers reach out to you with concerns and needs? Are you easily accessible? Do you have virtual office hours?”
Attract with positive emotions. “This is already such an emotional time, but that makes it more important than ever to be intentional about messaging,” says Sampat. Companies who are leveraging fear and uncertainty to promote and sell aren’t winning long-term, loyal customers. To genuinely connect, people need to feel safe and cared for.”
Offer options and answers. “Consider your client or customer demographics and what unique experiences they may be having right now,” says Sampat. “Are they parents, having to suddenly homeschool while also working from home? Are they particularly vulnerable to the virus due to age or health, so can’t leave their home for essentials? Use this info to offer a solution.”
The bottom line from Sampat for marketers is to be warned: Now is the time for all good marketers to adapt to our current environment. Be there for your clients now. If you take care of them in the present, they will be there for you in the future.
