A Moment of Truth: Marketing and Communications in a Crisis

I’ve had three client calls this morning on just this topic. And received hundreds of “official emails” from colleagues, suppliers, clubs I belong to, alma maters, places I shop, etc. (I had no idea how many lists I was on!) with their communication about the events we are all experiencing. They fall into 3 camps: 1. Cold, corporate, re-purposing the CDC guidelines; 2. Measured, distant, communicating they have the systems and infrastructure in place and are still able to operate; and 3. Human, compassionate, showing real emotion (not fake speak) for their employees and families, customers, partners, community at large, and sharing what they are doing about it, beyond just closing their doors.

How you show up for your team, customers and the community at large right now is a huge moment of truth for your brand. And what an opportunity to be the best you can. What do you stand for? Say it! What do you care most about? Share it! What are you doing to keep your teams’ spirits up (not just sending them home, or “allowing” them to work from home) when they are anxious and need connection? Do more of it! We can all read the stats, worry about the markets and watch the briefings. In fact, we can’t escape them.

The new 4 P’s in marketing provide some great perspective, and simple wisdom, now more than ever. They are: S.A.V.E. and they are what your customers really want from you, beyond whatever it is you are selling them.

SOLUTION: How does what you do or sell help your customers solve a problem they have? What job can you help them get done? Maybe now it’s about finding new ways to stay connected.

ACCESS: In our always-on 24/7 connected world, you’ve heard “access over ownership”. What can you give a customer, at this precise moment, that they want or need? While we live through this pandemic, how might you create ways for much needed human engagement and sharing?

VALUE: What value do you create that others don’t? This has nothing to do with the lowest price and everything to do with helping customers elevate gains and alleviate pains. Can you reinvent how you do business to give customers access to what they need in new ways? We should all salute (and learn from) Canlis Restaurant in Seattle. Realizing there's not much of a market for fine dining right now, they created THREE restaurants - a breakfast bagel shed, a burger drive-thru for lunch and a family meal delivery service.

EDUCATION: How are you providing current and potential customers with the information they need, relevant to their interests, not just re-purposed corporate-speak? Speak real and you will build trust and be seen as a brand that actually cares about them. Dig below the surface and ask yourself what might their questions be – and how can you answer them in a way that inspires trust, from an honest source.

Your brand, your business, YOU have an opportunity to show up, fully, as someone to trust and someone people will want to work with through this crisis and beyond.