As COVID-19 continues its spread, many businesses (including martial arts and yoga studios, and even parks and recreational places) are being forced to close down, as part of public officials’ executive orders made in the United States, in hopes of slowing the spread. For some of these businesses, they may not be majorly affected by these drastic changes, but for places like martial arts and yoga studios, staying afloat during these hard times is essential.

Although these changes are in effect right now, that doesn’t mean that the workouts should stop. For many of these businesses, workout sessions are being conducted online. Regardless of you teach martial arts or yoga, or if your business revolves around parks and recreation, now is a good time to continue reaching out to your customers. Here are a few easy communication tips to help you stay connected to your brand’s community and help them stay motivated in their active lifestyle.

Understand What Customers Need

“First, you need to understand what your customers need during the pandemic,” says Christopher Townsend, a PR expert at Writinity and Lastminutewriting. “At the end of the day, they want to be reassured that everything is going to be okay. And with businesses being classified as either ‘essential’ or ‘non-essential’ – which in this case, gyms, workout studios, and other parks and recreational places are considered ‘non-essential’ – you’ll have to try different avenues to get to your audience. But in the end, consumers will most likely choose food and essentials over exercising right now. So, understanding the customer’s needs is crucial when marketing to people during these hard times.”

Email And Post Brand Response To COVID-19

Start building trust with your customers by sending a thoughtful email to people on your mailing list. Your email should explain what your brand is doing in the wake of the pandemic. Do not try to sell products or put promotional deals in the email; instead, talk about how your brand will move forward, if your business is to close temporarily, due to the coronavirus. People are more concerned about what they should do, rather than what you have to sell.

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Text For Member Retention

People are more likely to be reached out to and respond to texts, rather than log into their social media to look at business announcements and updates. Unless your customers are on Facebook, Twitter, or other logged-in social media accounts to see your updates in their feed, they’ll most likely ignore them.

When in doubt, text your customers about any updates from your brand. You can also use texting to inform your customers about memberships, billing reminders, etc.

Read more: 6 Strong Ways To Retain Students During Difficult Times

Text Words Of Encouragement

“Words of encouragement is good for any occasion, especially at times like this,” says Matthew Palmer, a business writer at Draftbeyond and Researchpapersuk. “Many gym goers and park lovers love to hear and read words of encouragement; and many of these people say that they prefer to get these words of encouragement via text message, which is a non-invasive but still noticeable nudge to help them stay active. However, you’ll need to accommodate to their well-being as well, not just reminding them to workout every once in a while.”

Keep Members Connected

Gyms and studios have recently got into the swing of creating video content, even live tutorials, for their members to join and follow along. Customers are even encouraged to record how they’re staying active at home, the workouts they’re doing, etc. Coaches and instructors are even inventing new ways to exercise, and suggesting what everyday household items can be used for workouts. These are great ways to reach out to your audience.

You can also tie in words or encouragement before or after sending a photo or video to your customers. You can even keep your customers updated on the coronavirus, and how your brand will move forward, as the pandemic progresses.

Read more: Engaging With Your Gym Community On Social Media

Conquering COVID-19

Yes, it’s a strange and scary time for everyone, but your gym, studio, and places of recreation can be a valuable resource for people looking to escape the daunting realities of the pandemic. As long as you don’t push sales, but stay connected with your members – creating that trust and being there for whatever they need – you’ll keep them motivated to stay active for the time being, at least until businesses are allowed to reopen.

Ashley Halsey writes for Lucky Assignments and Gum Essays. As a professional writer, she has done many projects throughout the country and has taught many business training courses. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her two children, traveling, and reading