If you have an inbox, it will come as no shock when I tell you that mine is creaking under the weight of Covid-19 related emails. I don’t want or need to be asked ‘How are you?’ any more. I can understand that companies want to appear as if they are concerned, or doing their bit to help, but I’m not interested in repeated messages, nor bland questions. Just convey the information.

Now things are, possibly, changing in the near future, you will have to decide whether and when to send an information email to let your customers know what your plans are. Here are some ideas.

Send emails only when you have something positive or informative to say that will interest your subscribers. Just telling them that lockdown’s ended is not enough. They’ve read that themselves and now they will be wondering how it will affect them.

If you are aware of how your customers and subscribers to email marketing lists have suffered during the lockdown, and you have plans which will help them, then they might well be grateful for your help. Promote your company.

Many of us have closed our counters, or had restricted hours and access. If you are now opening up, even if only to a greater extent, they will probably want to know, and you will want to tell them. Do so in a bright and positive tone.
 
If the raising of lockdown will mean that some of your systems, processes or product ranges will be changing, then that’s a message they should hear, and probably before it happens. If it could cause them problems, apologise, and provide a solution. Don’t prostrate yourself at their feet; just say briefly that you, like most other companies, have been forced to do so.

Don’t send useless information. I’ve had lots of examples of this, but my favourite has to be being told that the company will continue to have its staff work from home. Its purpose remains unfathomable. It could be that they intended to irritate me, and if so, they succeeded. 

Tell them from the off, possibly in the Subject Line, that the email is for information only. ‘Important information about changes in billing’, that sort of thing. If it’s not important, don’t send the email.

Be personal, just as you would in an email marketing campaign, by using their preferred name, and by making the tone and subject just right to gain their interest. It would be a mistake not to segment the email marketing list just because you are not selling anything.  

And as you are not selling, ensure that readers can take in the content quickly and easily, with bold headings so that a paragraph can be ignored if they feel it isn’t relevant. It should be easy to read and easier to skim.

Don’t prattle on. Please.

Get them on board by asking them for ideas on what changes you can implement to help them when lockdown finally ends. They are unlikely to reply, but you never know.