In these unprecedented times, we are witnessing amazing acts of kindness in local communities. While restaurants have closed their dining rooms, many have been so generous to donate meals to essential workers in their community. Let’s talk about the right way to post on social media about community work and donations.
Many of our clients have asked us:
“How can we post about what we’re doing on our social media platforms without coming across as bragging?”
It’s a sensitive time and we need to be careful about how we choose our words. These acts of kindness were not done for self-serving purposes or as a marketing strategy during COVID-19, but to acknowledge the risk that essential workers have to face each and every day while the rest of us stay home.
So what’s the RIGHT WAY to go about saying that?
Express Gratitude
Always include a short thank you statement in your content before or after you get into what you’ve donated.
Be Informed & Inform
Educate your customers about who you are helping. Is it the team of nurses at your local kids hospital? Is it the ER team at your local COVID-19 Testing Centre?
Be True To Your Brand
Does your business pride itself in contributing to your local community? Is your business next door to a hospital? A brief reminder of how your brand values connect to your actions is always appropriate.
You Are Not The Hero
There’s nothing worse than someone tooting their own horn. As you put your social media posts together, keep in mind that you are not the hero and that the hero is the group of people you are helping.
Don’t just say WHAT you’re doing, say WHY you’re doing it.
Be Authentic
Be honest about your reasons in doing what you’re doing. Share your thoughts about the situation. If you’ve planned an initiative to donate to multiple hospitals, senior homes and/or homeless shelters, share your plan with your audience.
Report Back
If you’ve shared that you will be visiting Hospital X, Senior Home Y and Shelter Z, take photos or videos and report back to your audience that you’ve done what you said you’d do.
Highlight Happy Endings
If what you’re doing in your community has put a smile on someone’s face, highlight those smiles in your feed!
Be Personal
Maybe you have a friend or family member who is an essential worker and you were inspired to help others like them. Sharing about this on social media can help to showcase the personality and heart of your brand.
Involve Your Customers
Your dining rooms are closed and your customers miss you. Posting an update of what you’ve been up to is expected. Your customers want to be involved too and they may even respond and suggest other ways your business could be helping the community.
While many of us have had to stay home, essential workers continue their day-to-day work to save lives. What they’re doing is nothing short of heroic. We are so humbled and inspired by the generosity we have seen from so many businesses.
If you are interested in our social media marketing services, contact us today! We’d be happy to discuss how we can help your business.
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