Communicating during COVID-19

These are unprecedented times and business will not be the same again at least not in the near future. So till we get used to the ‘new normal’ a direct clear, responsible and timely communication becomes all the more important. With so much being said all around, as a business you would like to cut through the clutter and have a meaningful conversation with your customers as well as business stakeholders. We suggest that during COVID times a brand should imbibe a few important rules or way communications. Though these are not the only rules or perspective to follow we believe following them goes a long way ‘We are together’ More than ever now is the time to build community & strengthen the connection with your customers; you may lose some business for a while but you will never lose a customer. Every brand tries to convey that it cares for its customer. There would be no better time for this than now. Point to remember - Communicate with your customers but don’t do it to sell or promote any special offer, now is not the time to do so. Let empathy, patience, sincerity and above all care lead the way. Share information that is factual and useful for your customers rather than sharing opinions & points of view. ‘We know you’ Personalization is something we haven’t done in the past but it’s all the more crucial in a challenging environment such as this. However, be very thoughtful while doing so or you may end up stressing or annoying your customers and give a wrong idea about how your brand treats them or uses their personal data ‘We add value, trust us’ In the current climate of anxiety, customers are more concerned about how your brand will handle the current situation in serving them and also how future-ready you are. Make sure that you build that belief in your communication and your brand doesn’t come out as opportunistic or intrusive but more as a ‘human’ they can trust. ‘We don’t just convey, we listen’ In today’s day and age, with the advent of multiple innovative channels such as AI Chatbots, you can have two-way communication with your customer. It is becoming more important now that your brand becomes easily accessible to your customers as it is not possible for them to be at your place of business physically. Use new age media to have real chats with your customers. This way your brand doesn’t come across as a ‘robot’ but as a ‘human’ which is the need of the hour. ‘We keep moving forward’ Even in the time of turmoil and doubt, it is possible for businesses to grow; pick up the new way of doing business and create a value proposition for their customers. So as a brand & business be agile, adapt, keep going, and above all be ‘human’.Reach out to us on marketing@vfirst.com and we'd love to help you.