In a world that has become more volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous over the past few months, brands should consider that this is NOT a time to maximize profit. The brands that will survive these turbulent times are those that recognize that empathy is the most potent currency these unprecedented times.
Brands should deeply consider how they might connect with their customers and soothe their worries, as the COVID-19 pandemic takes its toll.
1.Communicate with your audience
Now is not the time to keep mute. A brand is not just a corporate institution, it is a personality that people want to relate to. It is therefore imperative to humanize your brand by giving it a compassionate voice in this period. Now is the time to make your press release come alive. Make it full of emotion and support, not the standard boilerplate release we see every day. People are scared, they are terrified, they need support, and not just support from their friends and family but support from the brands they patronize. It is really a dark time for the world at large. So, let them know you understand those fears and communicate the commitment to get through these times together.
2. Demonstrate social responsibility.
No customer wants a brand that is careless with the necessary precautions advised during this period. Customers do not want to feel that you are part of the problem instead of being part of the solution to the pandemic that is rocking the world. Hence brand should implement the necessary safety precautions in your facility whether or not it is open to public visitations. Don’t just stop at implement, communicates the measures you have put in place as an assurance to the consumers that you are on their side in fighting this pandemic. This assurance helps build trust and credibility with the consumers that you are taking the necessary steps to be a socially responsible brand.
3. Offer help
Yes, we know you are not running a charity or a government institution, but offering some form of help will go a long way to show your customers how much your value them. This kind gesture will not only build endearment in the short term but in the long term as well. Brands should, therefore, come up with creative and effective ways to meet some of those needs. The statement “it is the thought that counts” would not apply here. Consumers cannot see your thoughts and would surely want something that can provide relief in this period. Whatever can make life a little bit easier for your audience this period should be on your radar.
During these times of crisis, choosing the right form of brand behavior and executing it right can infuse more meaning to consumers’ relationships with your brand. Therefore, brands need to be deliberate to show empathy, act of kindness to their customers. To add to the famous evangelical saying “THIS TOO SHALL PASS BUT ONLY BRANDS THAT SHOW EMPATHY WILL BE REMEMBERED.”
