by Wuraola Ademola-Shanu
As business owners, what can we learn from other brands doing it right during this pandemic? While it’s hard to know what each day will bring, these brands are listening to people’s pain points and acting on them with a heavy dose of empathy mixed alongside it.
Below are some of the brands incorporating/displaying empathy in their marketing messages:
Since parents didn’t expect to be at home all day with their kids, Disney released FROZEN II on Disney+ so that children can have something fun and interesting to watch.
Instead of focusing on making perfumes, LVMH decided to make sanitizers to bridge the gap in the health sector and make everyone safe.
Google made Hangouts Meet available to its G-suite customers until the first of July.
NYC Met Opera wasn’t about to be left out. They created a free streaming option to allow people to watch Operas online so we can catch the best Operas online!
Planet Fitness hosts daily free exercise classes on Facebook live.
What do all these brands have in common? They are showing EMPATHY as it’s their brand’s action that matters. And when this pandemic is over, people will remember them as the ones that cared; which will, in turn, increase their visibility, command customers’ loyalty and increase their revenues.
Even if you can’t do much or nothing at all, the following are ways to incorporate empathy into your marketing messages:
1. Be Careful With Your Imagery and Language
This is a time when everyone is on edge and people are feeling different emotions ranging from depression to anxiety, sadness and grief. Therefore, it’s important that consider the message your brand is communicating. Please note that I’m referring to “push content” here – any content that you’re sending to people across various media channels (emails, social media posts, blog posts, taglines, etc).
Avoid using imageries of crowds or people touching each other.
Don’t use words like “get in touch,” “work hand in hand,” or “get closer to your customers.” Messages encouraging immediate interaction may be deeply scrutinized.
If you have visuals or a campaign that isn’t relevant at this time, you can revise it or promote it at a later time in the year.
2. Don’t Exploit the Situation
This doesn’t apply to coronavirus alone. Irrespective of the crisis, it’s important to not exploit a tragedy or crisis for personal gains.
Keep people informed. For example, your business can share accurate coronavirus tips and updates, talk about the proactive health and business measures your business is taking or policy updates related to COVID-19.
Don’t be an alarmist. While it’s important to keep your readers informed, it’s also important to not go overboard. Be careful of overly dramatic language and ensure that the information you are sharing is from credible sources and give credits as well.
Bragging is a No-no. Some people have lost their jobs in this period, lost their loved ones or just sad due to the current happenings in the world. Therefore, your brand’s message must oozes humility and empathy.
Mind your tone. Please steer clear of words like “Grab this cheap lockdown bundle” or “Hot COVID-19 sales!” or any other inconsiderate words.
3. Be Positive
Here’s how your brand can spread positivity:
Use your brand’s heart (purpose, vision, mission, and values) to remind yourself of what your brand stands for. Don’t be afraid to vulnerable and share human stories.
Be personable.
Create employee-generated content (EGC). Create a survey and ask your employees about their favourite movies or Netflix shows, their favourite foods and share it on your platforms. You can even share fun photos or recordings from your team’s video conferences. This time is an awesome opportunity to spotlight your people and your culture.
4. Tell/Show How Your Brand Can Help
If what you do supports or enhances people’s lives while quarantined, tell that brand story.
Communicate your benefits. Do your products/services give people things to do at home? Does it help people do their jobs without face-to-face interaction? Educate people about your brand’s USP and share it.
Create helpful content. And if your product isn’t one people really need during this quarantine period, you can still give value. How can you educate, entertain, or inspire people stuck at home all day? This will help people remember you after the lockdown is over.
Conclusion:
While I can’t speculate when the lockdown/quarantine will end; one thing is for sure: “it won’t last forever!” As a business owner, you should also be preparing for the post-COVID transition. During times like these, things can go awry. However, let’s remember to always add value and focus on helping people. And this also goes for after the pandemic is over. Do not share values during this period and stop after the pandemic is over. One of every brand’s strategies should be to always provide value.
Image credit: EdSurge
Wuraola Ademola-Shanu is a copywriter, content strategist & creator who helps professionals, consultants, and business owners align their stories with their ideal clients, refine their sales funnels, and expand their online reputations. That can take the form of a great bio, article, or other marketing material that puts the client’s best foot forward, and connects magnetically with the people whom they can help the most. As a freelance consultant, her creative marketing efforts are focused on small businesses and individuals. Wuraola is also a copyeditor and proofreader. She has edited and proofread novels, short stories, infographics, website copies, web content, and journal articles. This job requires her to bring a fresh eye to a writer's work. Wuraola uses what she learns about a writer's manuscript to assist in transforming the book into a tightly written piece. You can connect with her via email at Omobolanleshanu@gmail.com and on Instagram (TheCopywritingChick).