We are currently finding ourselves in a global crisis. Not only are thousands of people gravely ill, but many have lost loved ones to Covid-19. With the world wide lockdowns, businesses have been greatly affected, to the point where entire economies are in danger of collapsing.
Although this setback will be very tough to overcome, it is definitely not impossible. Humanity has been dealt many devastating blows. Natural disasters, world wars and conflicts, and new diseases ravaging populations can be seen throughout history as we know it.
The companies that survived these major setbacks are the ones who followed these three basic rules:
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Be adaptable
Do not stop communicating with your customers. While a crisis of any kind will inevitably mean a financial loss, it will not last forever. And when everyone is back out in the world, you definitely don’t want them to have forgotten that you exist.
If you are completely unable to operate at the moment, spend this time making sure that you will have customers flocking back to you when the crisis is over. Send out information on how people can keep themselves safe, how to stay busy, and tips on things to avoid. Try to focus on tips that are in line with what your business does.
If you are a hardware provider, for instance, send out advice for easy DIY projects to do at home. Be available on social media or over the phone to offer advice and easy hacks.
If your company does events, send out advice and checklists to help people reschedule their events. This will help them make sure they didn’t miss any details, but it will also make you seem like an expert in your field.
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Don’t be insensitive
When tragedy strikes, it’s important to be aware of any scheduled activity—newsletters, Facebook ads, blog posts, etc. that you’ve pre-scheduled. When your online activity is business-as-usual it may seem like your company simply doesn’t care for its customers or its employees.
Instead, send out communication on how your company is dealing with the crisis. We at Forge Advertising, for example, sent out newsletters and social media posts stating that we will be available, but will be working remotely. Our staff is important to us, so we wanted to keep everyone safe by working from home even before the compulsory lockdown.
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Don’t abuse the crisis
We understand that the current lockdown is causing your company financial stress, but don’t try to milk the crisis to make a buck. Running Corona Virus specials and sales is tacky and can make your company seem desperate. And whatever you do, do not try to be funny. Keep in mind that a lot of people have lost loved ones to the virus, so treating it as a joke is simply disrespectful.
If you follow these basic rules, you will not only keep your company safe from a major PR scandal during the lockdown, but you might even thrive when it is over. If you need any marketing advice on how to deal with the current crisis, contact us. We are still operating for the entire lockdown period.