store. She was concerned about the
messaging on the store’s contribution
to pandemic while their intention was
ideally to announce that they were now
selling masks. Brands therefore need to
coin their communication about their
contribution to the crisis more astutely in
a manner that will keep customers from
felling used during this crisis to achieve
more sales.
Incentives are a crowd puller and a way to
attract footfall to a brands website or store.
Customers have financial pressures just
as much as businesses. Showing concern
through allowing redemption of loyalty
points may attract customers to purchase
from a business. Incentives do not have
to be cash back or cash value incentives
but can also be an association with a cause
that needs support during this time such
as a children’s home, a hospital or a home
for the elderly. Many organizations are
already doing food basket contributions
towards such initiatives. Customers seem
to be drawn towards organizations with
purpose and customer-centric appeals
where there is an extended benefit beyond
the usual cash for goods exchange.
Lastly, it is important for brands to
be open, honest and provide practical
information to their customers. While
business has been affected by the
pandemic in more ways than one,
customers expect more openness from
businesses. Customers are caught up
in emotions displaying high sensitivity
towards brand messaging and always
looking for regular updates from brands
on how they can make their interactions
easier. The situation with the pandemic is
evolving by the day and brands need to
be responsive to the developments and
take all necessary precautions to protect
their staff and customers by all means
necessary.
In the same breath, they need to
communicate the new business rules and
processes to their customers openly and
honestly. The angry customer at the store
was not upset because she couldn’t try on
the dress, she seemed to be more upset
about the fact that she did not have the
information prior to coming to the store.
She had a few good reasons for making
the trip and was evidently a long-term
customer given that she even had loyalty
points. She seemed to be upset about the
opaque areas she did not know about
and the tone of communication from the
brand on their ‘contribution’.
I know for a fact that she is not a customer
lost but a customer hoping that a brand
she so deeply connects with and supports
can reciprocate the intimacy. Her
experience can be compared to a day out
to a picnic with a friend who is allergic
to grass. One piece of communication left
out during the interaction can ruin a good
experience in the most crucial moment,
leading to a flood of emotion and a feeling
of disappointment when the situation
would have been mitigated.
It is important for marketing professionals
to evaluate their brand positions in light
of these few lessons. More research may
need to be done on the impact of each
idea but it is a start to conversations that
brands need to have with their customers
during this difficult and emotional time
to make the most of the opportunity
to connect more intimately with their
customers both now and in the future.
Diana Obath is a seasoned Public
Relations and Communications
Specialist. You can commune with her
on this or related issues via mail on:
[email protected].
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