Reassuring your customers during COVID-19

Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures. Physical distancing, working online, using deliveries, conference calls – it’s all part of the new way of doing business. Amidst this outbreak, making sure that your customers know you’re still there for them is of prime importance.

As a marketer, there are some steps you must take to continue customer engagement:

1. Make sure your customers are in good health

Take a moment to inquire about them and their family’s health. It can be done through an email or even over the phone. This is not the time for hard selling your products. Instead it’s time to reassure them they you are available in times of need.

2. Explain your new way of doing business

If your business will only be available online temporarily, let your customers know. If your timings are reduced or deliveries will be delayed, provide an update. If you will limit the number of customers inside your store at any given point in time, mention it. Never keep your customers guessing the state of your operations.

3. Maintain human interaction – online

During times like these, make use of video conferencing especially if you are in a consulting type of business. More than what is discussed, just seeing the business owner gives a sense of personalised comfort to any customer.

4. If you have a Sales Team – give them a plan

For companies with Sales Teams, the best thing that you can do is make sure everyone is on the same page. Your best people in sales might already be reaching out to customers but some salespeople in your team might need a route map of what and how to do it. Help them out.

5. Bundling and discounts

In a situation where money is tight and customers are making tough choices regarding what to spend where, you might want to lower your margins on essential products to keep a steady in flow of business. Yes, you will just break-even, but you will avoid losing your hard-earned customers to competitors.

Remember, the idea here is to keep your customers and not lose them. It is not the time for high profits or extreme risk-taking. Essentially as a business owner, you want to ride out the storm, slowly but steadily.