You don’t want to let a crisis stop you from moving your property management company forward. When you’re branding your company and marketing your services during a global emergency like COVID-19, there are a few things you absolutely must do and several things that you should never do.
While we’re working from home and sheltering in place, let’s take a look at how to manage your marketing and branding when people are distracted and scared.
Do Show Empathy and Be Transparent
Your clients are going through a lot, and you want to make sure they know that you’re thinking about them. All of your messaging should be sensitive and empathetic to the struggle that’s touching nearly everyone. It’s important to be extra-aware of the way you sound.
Plenty of people will be offended, always. It doesn’t matter what you say or how you say it or when you say it. People are like that. During a crisis, people are even more likely to be sensitive and offended. Make sure you’re not saying or doing anything that may be perceived as hurtful or harmful.
Don’t Put Incriminating Content on Social Media
Social media can be difficult to navigate even when there’s not a global pandemic. You can post whatever you want on your own social media pages, but remember that your property management brand is affected by your own messaging. Be careful about what you post. Even when you’re posting in private forums remember that they aren’t 100 percent private.
Do Be Strategic with Marketing Channels and Content
Think careful about the marketing channels you’re choosing. COVID-19 is catching a lot of attention right now, but every crisis comes and goes. If you talk about crisis-related things, make sure you’re using a marketing channel that will deliver your message immediately. You want this information to be seen quickly, and then you want it to go away.
Don’t publish a blog that will be buried somewhere. No one will see it and it won’t rank for six months. YouTube is great, but it takes months to gain traction. A direct mail campaign will not work quickly.
We recommend that property managers put crisis-related content on the company’s homepage. You can put it on your website for everyone to see, and then you can take it down when it’s no longer relevant. Post your information on Facebook, Instagram, and other social platforms. Use email and texts. That’s good for immediate content and reach.
On a related note – have you thought about your online reputation during the COVID19 pandemic? Head over to our blog on the latest updates from Google and Yelp for more information about reviews being posted during this time.
Don’t Overdo the Crisis Content
Are you enjoy the corona-related posts from people every single day? No one is. First, people get tired of it. Then, it feels like you’re capitalizing on the crisis. You should be talking about the impact it’s having on your customers, but remember to put evergreen content out, too.
Branding during a crisis should not be specific to the crisis. Offer helpful information on all educational and informational topics.
In Australia, we’ve had fire crises and pandemic crises recently, and regardless of what’s going on in the world, you still have to stay in business and you still have to get leads in. Marketing must remain a necessity.
Do Create Aftermath Content
You want content that helps people prepare for when things will get better. Because they will get better. We’re all looking forward to that time, so let’s keep things up and running until we get there.
We’re wishing you the best of luck, and if you want to talk through your property management branding and marketing ideas, please contact us at Fourandhalf.
