With lots going on in the world around us and changes happening all the time, it’s important that we keep our customers well informed. We have the job of making them feel assured that we can help them and take care of things, especially when the situation around us is daunting. There are many ways to communicate with your customers but one way to keep them updated is by still sending them a newsletter once a month to remind them that you’re still there if they need you or your services. Even though parts of your service may not be operating as normal, it’s still important to keep customers informed of what is going on and updates on things that are happening in your organisation. Although not everything may be good news, it’s still important to be transparent to keep trust up with your customers that you’ve already built.
So, how can we write an effective newsletter during this time?
It’s a time of great stress for many so when people are reading communications from their financial providers, they are probably going to want to see a clear message. Make sure you plan out different sections of your newsletter for each update that you want to give. There can often be different areas of a business to provide updates on so make sure you’re not confusing the reader.
Messages from team members such as CEO’s and Managers can be areal comfort to people in difficult times. It also makes things a bit more personal to the reader and gives a face to the newsletter too. Important developments are particularly important in coming from the CEO, this will assure customers that things are being dealt with at the highest level.
While the media is filled with a lot of negative story telling, it doesn’t mean every communication has to be this way. Share some positive stories you’re hearing, your customers won’t forget the positive connection with your communications.
What can you share? Things like local initiatives will go down well and might even encourage some of your customers to get involved. Some individual success stories about how you’re helping some of your customers area good value add to your newsletter too. Anything that can shine some light in dark times will be a good addition.
As well as sharing positive stories, we also need to sometimes embrace the harsh realities. Remember to update your members on how the current pandemic is affecting the overall industry and what is being done to try and tackle it. Share facts but don’t dwell, you don’t want customers to be discouraged from reading future communications.
During times like this, many of us don’t want to feel like we are taking advantage of a situation but ultimately there’s a lot that many organisations can do to help their customers. For example, a credit union could be a lifeline to a member who has been put on reduced pay, just like Soar is essential in providing technology to credit unions who can no longer operate in branches. In times like this we need to do what we can to help those who need it most so remember to share information about vital services in your newsletters.
Sharing useful articles is a great way of connecting with your customers, especially in times when they are in need of some help or advice.Think about sharing some new targeted content or re-sharing old articles that you think might help in this time. You can also come up with tips on how deal with financial stress or even something completely different on how to keep active. It’s all about keeping your reader engaged even through uncertain times.
Whether it’s a link to your website, a number to call or even an email to reach you on, your newsletter is still about communication with your customers, even if your normal interactions are different. People also enjoy having a focus or point to what they are reading and if you include actions, they’re more likely to engage with you.
Whatever plan you come up with, make sure to include engaging and useful content for customers to read and share. Newsletters are a great way to connect with your members and share important information with them so use this to your advantage, and always remember, every piece of marketing you use is another way to encourage word of mouth promotion in your community.
To get some further advice on content writing, blogging or social media planning, get in touch with our team today.
