Coronavirus: Stop the Spam!

Dear Reader,

I hope in this troubling time you are doing well. Staying home and staying sane is the best medicine for our survival. Let's not forget that toilet paper will be restocked and we will figure out how to work from home without reading another blog post on the 15 tips to do so. Also, there is no need for our emails to be bombarded with the Coronavirus updates, unless they are actually important and necessary.

Media is overflowing with news and updates on the virus outbreak.No doubt, it is necessary to stay thoroughly informed during this time. However, the content stream on Coronavirus has developed into something unbearably distressing and obnoxious.

News updates about cancelled flights? Yes. News updates on how your employees are doing conference calls from home in their pyjamas? Uhmm… no.

Blog articles on how the virus can potentially affect our social behaviour? Yes. 501 posts on how to schedule your day at home during the Coronavirus outbreak? Please, no.

There is no need for annoying posts and unnecessary updates, when we already have a constant stream of misinformation and scams on the roll. Latest one on fraudulent, unauthorised COVID-19 test kits. Or scam emails, offering miracle-products, services or information that will help you in some way or other during the virus outbreak.

“Well, doing a post or two on Coronavirus is no harm, right?”

Now, think about all the other marketing agencies and businesses thinking the same thing. This way we will end up with over a million posts on how to work from home.

“But it's good marketing,” they say.

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This is a crisis, not Black Friday

In digital marketing, any topical subject will be used for beneficial purposes. “Yes, well, that's good marketing.” Actually, not always true. Exploiting a global crisis for self-promotion is not the best idea. Most cases, it doesn't do more for your business than just attract a couple of hundred new eyeballs. Soon after, everyone will forget about these posts along with the other million ones.

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Email a day makes everyone insane

The virus outbreak has caused a lot of institutions and businesses to take extreme measures. People are already getting dozens emails per day with information on all the cancelled flights, appointments and other activities. Therefore, there is absolutely no need for another 'update email' informing us that your marketing team is now working from home. The virus outbreak is not an excuse to spam you mail lists just like before GDPR. If there is something people will need to find out – they will!

Plus, there is a high chance that your email will go unnoticed anyways. Due to the high stream of other important emails people are prioritising to read and answer to the urgent ones.

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Yes, most of us are working from home. WE KNOW.

Until more than a week ago you didn't even consider it an option for your team to work from home. Now, you're making it look like you've just invented the wheel.

Since most of us are quarantined, working from home is the only option. Yes, it was fun and silly on the first two days to send each other pictures from our 'home offices'. Now, please, don't make that part of your content marketing strategy on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook or wherever. It really isn't that necessary for everyone to see.

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And what else isn't necessary?

Trying to put on a superhero suit with a corporate briefcase in hand.

There is one thing that's very common with all the businesses during a global crisis or a tragedy – looking like a do-gooder.

“You want to save the Amazon forest from burning down? Buy our product and/or service, because we also care about this tragedy. We are showing that with a post on Instagram with a sad-face emoji. But really, don't forget to follow us, like us and also buy whatever we are selling to you.”

There is a difference between showing empathy and really trying to help a situation and benefiting from a crisis or a tragedy. But yes, it is a fine line that gets quite blurry in marketing and sales.

Of course, this is not to shame any business that tries to do the best to stay afloat and make some money. This is just to point out that showing off as the best do-gooder in the world is not the best strategy. No one's buying it, really.

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So, what can we all take away?

Less spams, less scams, less misinformation and do-gooder charades. More common sense, sanity and balance. Isn't that the goal?