Warning — These 3 Mistakes Will Destroy Your Email Campaigns during the Corona Outbreak
Emergencies can always be tackled well if prior warning notifications are received for better planning. While the world is undergoing the COVID-19 ( Corona) outbreak, many companies are racing to promote their brands and services to the masses. Though a lot of people doubt that email marketing is dead, to me it still topples to be one of the most effective mediums to build brand loyalty. All of it possible, only when you structure your emails well.
Just like the days of GDPR, unwanted and unusual emails from several establishments across the globe have been finding a spot in my mailbox. More than the texture, I found the tone and the context was not worthy enough for the attention. Here are my few learnings from the brands and some I’ve come across.
1. COVID-19 ( Corona) is teaching people the real meaning of ‘unsubscribe‘
Dear marketers, if your business has not planned for crisis communication, take a step back and prepare the same. The communication in such cases holds utmost importance. Take a look at an email received by a twitter user Helena where a salesperson reached out after no reply from her. She ended up promoting this tweet on her profile where many of her followers believed the tone and the time of the email wasn’t great. Through my lens, I not only see this very casual (would have been OK otherwise if you know the person well) but the entire theme of email coincided unpleasantly with the outrage scene happening around the world. 9/10 times people will opt to email you back or probably unsubscribe if this was an email list.
The government of every country has been trying at their own peril along with respective citizens to ensure the pandemic doesn’t widespread. The situation still looks under a red spot. Marketers need to understand and respect the customer’s mindset. Don’t encourage customers to ignore health notices in exchange to spend on your business. I have come across a lot of sensitizers and soap emailers that pursue people to spend on their business. Customers would love it if you develop a creative way to connect with them with much-needed information, that would be valued at the present time.
2. Corona outbreak is NOT an opportunity for brand marketing
If you have been following the news, you might be already aware that people are expected to lose more than 35 million jobs. At this stake of crisis, ensure your marketing campaigns have a direction. If you do not have an update for your customers, refrain from sending promotional emails to them.
Take a case above of one of India’s top realty companies sending across emails during the COVID-19 lockdown. Instead of branding, the email targeted to rent or sell, they could have gotten in touch with the customers with useful information on being safe or something relevant that may help them to prepare during the lockdown. Even the structure of the email was not mobile-friendly, made it even harder to read the content. A pro tip for all email markets is to test the mobile version of the email.
A lot of brands have also started reaching out to existing and old patrons of the brand and spamming them with new offers and deals while they have been locked out at home. Don’t look at the COVID-19 (Corona) outbreak as an opportunity for business development — it’s simply not appropriate if the tone, texture, and context are not deployed effectively. Instead of jarring about your brand, take a not on customer worries seriously. You may win business, but lose brand loyalty in these crunch situations.
3. Don’t add to the Noise of supplementing information
Over the last many years, I have realized one thing — Consumers don’t want to be reminded of the same information, over and over again. Holds even true for emails you send. Do not crowd up to this noise-queue. Last few days I have received several emails and I have been closely observing them. Most of them have indicators of how to protect yourself from COVID-19 (Corona) being at home or pointers on what one can do at home.
Take a look at one such email received. The subject reads Plug and Play offices — which would have been great if not this outbreak, but what was strange was the ‘obvious’ things that were structured in the email. Of course, I did like the image-quote but the content was most ‘obvious’. People are already anxious about a lot of factors and such emails will not add value. Before sending emails you have to ask a simple question “Are my email helpful for them? How?“. If your answer is otherwise, refrain from sending at this moment until the answer is Yes.
Header Image Credit:Webaroo