First, do no harm.
Including important prevention updates in your email content helps spread that information and helps to establish trust with your audience. Link to official organizations (Center for Disease Control) and keep the content brief and factual.
Be a resource.
If you are a news organization or your website hosts important community resources, link to those in every email you send out. Add a clear resource callout near the top of this message with a highlight color. Take a look at this fantastic Coronavirus resource email from WRAL-TV.
Check your tone.
Welcome emails, drip campaigns, and especially birthday and anniversary emails can seem awkward if you’re not acknowledging the current mood of your audience. While you can still share good tidings and cheer, modify your messages to make sure you don’t seem oblivious to what’s happening in the world.
Amp up breaking news alerts.
With the news of COVID-19 changing so rapidly. This is a time when sending more frequent breaking news alerts is warranted. Plus, this topic is one that generally affects your full audience. Just be sure to still filter and segment any other alerts whenever possible.
Consider a pop-up newsletter.
Pop-up newsletters are perfect for gathering up all of the day’s information on the Coronavirus in one email. In just one day, a person could get dozens of emails regarding the virus. Putting all the most relevant information in one concise spot helps simplify the news experience and makes your company a trusted resource for information. Many publishers like The Daily Herald have gone this route and are getting great engagement.
Be available.
During a time of crisis, people are more likely to have questions. This means you may have an influx of users responding to your messages. Ensure you have a person or team actively monitoring your from address inbox. You don’t want someone reaching our for help and being left unanswered.
Keep the news going.
Information is coming quickly and transmitting reliable information from trusted sources is essential. Do not stop your email program. But make sure it’s tuned to the moment and ready to provide the most updated information.
This whole experience is a time of uncertainty for all of us, and your role as an information provider is more important than ever. Check your messaging to ensure you position your brand in a way it can be trusted by your audience during this unpredictable time.
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More about Tim: Tim is the Director of Email Success at Second Street and has extensive background in media. Tim is dedicated to helping local media companies find success through their email programs while leveraging promotions to grow their database and achieve their company’s goals.
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