The concept of “business as usual” is quickly becoming a thing of the past in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As markets slide, supply chains slow down, and uncertainty is suddenly ubiquitous, businesses have some tough calls to make: potential budget cuts, recasting business goals and forecasts, and pivoting marketing and sales strategies.

In this new reality, brands are scrambling to cling to their existing customers. The good news: you have customers. But everyone else is after them as well; our inboxes are overrun with emails about the steps brands are taking and how much you matter to them. It’s overwhelming. Success in this new paradigm means finding a way to cut through this noise to sustain meaningful relationships with the customers you’ve worked so hard to create.

Community building and cultivating connections
Between the flood of email and the fact that practically every single digital channel is currently taxed to the limit — communicating with your customers right now might seem like an impossible feat. But how you do it will make all the difference. Allowing empathy and patience to guide your business and marketing messaging is key; those who rush to put out self-serving or sales-oriented messaging will not be well-received.

Making mobile connections is at the core of customer engagement, but it’s contingent on trust — and this is especially true today. Brands that prioritize building a community that fosters consumer trust and connections above all will outperform those that don’t.

1:1 personalization
Personalized messaging is not a new topic but in challenging environments like these, it’s even more critical — but also harder to do well. Strive for hyper-personalized, contextually-relevant communications with one-to-one personalization. At the same time, be extremely thoughtful about how you personalize content or you run the risk of irritating customers in times of turmoil and stress — or, worse, create the impression their personal data is being misused. To avoid this, focus on delivering value that consumers clearly indicate they want and welcome, rather than using customer data to promote or sell more.

Develop trust and deliver value
After years of data breaches and misuse scandals — not to mention the current climate of anxiety — consumers are understandably concerned about sharing their data and are wary to receive promotional material from brands altogether. First and foremost, it is important to appreciate that access to consumer data is a privilege and brands must treat it as such. All companies should articulate how they will provide tangible value to customers who opt to share their data. When analyzed properly, this data can be a lens through which brands can better understand customer wants and needs, right down to the individual level — and with mobile, this value can be delivered directly to consumers on the channel of their choice.

Two-way interaction
Businesses have been slow to provide the high-value, real-time messaging that consumers crave across all channels. Now is the time to prioritize customer preferences for rich media and mobile messaging and facilitate two-way conversations between businesses and consumers. With two-way conversational messaging, brands can evolve how they proactively reach, retain and engage valued customers — and this technology heightens the customer experience by providing customers a way to initiate communication with the brands they follow. The companies that are equipped with this two-way capacity — including through Rich Communication Services (RCS) and AI-fueled conversational messaging — will be more likely to cling to their customers. When your business stops acting like a robot and starts being more human, you can create enriched experiences that are more authentic and attention-grabbing.

Moving forward
In times of turmoil, it is still possible for businesses to keep going, to pick up the pieces and find a way to make sense of them — even if the end result looks different than the original. Be flexible, agile, and above all, be kind.

Matt Ramerman is president of Sinch Engage.