Advice on coronavirus emails

Gartner has some really good recommendations for companies considering mailing about the coronavirus pandemic.

Launch your COVID-19-themed marketing email campaign only if you can answer yes to four questions:

• Am I telling customers something different from other brands versus saying the same thing as everyone else?
• Am I telling customers something they don’t already expect of my company or brand?
• Is the WIIFM (what’s in it for me) conspicuous in the subject line and opening paragraph?
• And, most importantly, is the WIIFM attuned to your customers needs right now?

Things are scary right now. But many of the companies who are sending emails DO NOT NEED TO DO SO. The insurance company I deal with solely by email didn’t need to send me email telling me their office was closed. I’ve never been to their office.

The vast majority of what I’m hearing from recipients and consumers is that this mail is all useless and they’re deleting without reading. Too much irrelevant or annoying mail will drive unsubscribes and this is spam hit. The first means you can’t mail that person again. The second means your reputation will take a hit.

Think twice before sending that mail. Most of you don’t need to be sending it.