We are entering the 2^nd full month of quarantine for COVID-19. The initial rush of Coronavirus-related emails and messages is over. But now, many small business owners are wondering… what should I be communicating during this time? What do I post on social media? What should I email to my list? I don’t want to come across insensitive or pushy…and I don’t want people to think that I’m just trying to sell them something. How do you strike the right balance between being authentic while communicating during the Coronavirus crisis, but still keep your business afloat?? I know that is what you’re thinking because that’s what I’ve been thinking! So, I want to give you my 5 best tips for communicating during the Coronavirus crisis.

But before I get to that, I want to clear up a few things.

First, this is NOT the time to lose touch with your customers/clients. Do not retreat into your quarantine world and go radio silent. People are looking for connection in the only way that is currently open to us – online. So do not feel weird about posting online or sending out emails to your list.

Secondly, this is NOT business as usual. You will need to take a good long look at the messages that you are putting out into the world. You must try to strike a balance between being HELPFUL and promoting your products and services. You may need to change your sales tactics/pitches in order to stay relevant and empathetic during this time.

So now that we have that cleared up, let’s move on to the 5 best tips for communicating during the Coronavirus!

1. Keep communicating!

Again, this is not the time to go radio-silent. You should be posting on social media regularly – once a day, 5-7 times a week. Aim to send out an email to your list at LEAST once a month, and no more than once a week. Choose a frequency that works for you and doesn’t feel overwhelming – for you or your clients.

2. Be helpful

When you send an email to your list or post on social media, be sure that you provide USEFUL content. Useful content does one of three things: it educates, entertains, or engages. I call this the 3E Strategy. It ensures that your content and captions are relevant and useful to your readers and your audience. It helps guide you in creating engaging content that you can email and post that will not come across as a smarmy sales tactic. You can read more about the 3E Strategy here.

3. Make it personal

During this time, we are all dealing with a weird mashup of our personal and professional lives. Cats are interrupting Zoom meetings, kids are hanging onto you while you work, and you are wearing your ratty old yoga pants and may not be showering on the regular. This is not business as usual! And that’s ok. That’s real. We are all craving connection and the truth is that people follow PEOPLE. And people aren’t perfect.

As a small businesses owner, you are at the heart of your brand. So don’t be afraid to make your emails and posts personal. Give an update on how you’re doing. Post a picture of your new reality. Share how are you keeping busy (or staying sane!) during this time. What are you focused on in your business? Are you struggling in some way? Share your story and be honest, but keep it positive. Err on the side of being upbeat, optimistic and humorous.

4. Shift perspective

Think about what your ideal customer is dealing with right at this very moment. Coronavirus swung into our lives like a wrecking ball and many people are still struggling to adjust to our new reality. How can you help? Do you have a product/service or tip that could help alleviate or solve that problem?

If you don’t know what they are struggling with or dealing with, ASK them! Asking questions on social media is one of the best ways to improve your engagement and create real connections with your audience. (Read more about why asking questions can improve your social media engagement and download a list of 27 questions that you can start using immediately!)

This is the secret to avoiding the cold, hard sales pitch. What you’re offering needs to meet your customer where they are right at this very moment. So ask them and then create content (posts and emails) that address how your products and services can alleviate those pain points.

If you don’t have a product/service that will help your customer with their current challenges, then maybe it’s time to create a new one to meet them where they are. This is the time to get creative!

5. Keep it friendly

When you’re coming up with captions or email messages, be sure to keep the language easy and conversational. Write in a way that is warm and feels like you are talking to a girlfriend over coffee. (Remember when we used to do that!?) Your customers should be the kind of people you’d like to be friends with. So talk to them like they already are!

I’ve written more about how to make your social media captions conversational here (psst! it includes a free downloadable calendar of conversational caption prompts!).

OK, be honest with me, here… Does this post help you figure out what you should be communicating during the Coronavirus crisis?

I hope so! But I want to make sure that the tips I give in this post actually HELP you – small business owners. Could you do me a favor?

Could you drop me an email at amber@mccullochcommunications.com and let me know what questions you have about marketing and social media? Is there a resource that you wish you had access to that could help you? What else should I include in this post?? I’m ALL EARS, and I want to hear from you!