Since the rug was ripped from right underneath our feet, we have witnessed businesses quickly adapt their marketing to the circumstances.
At times when business is slow, it can seem like pulling the plug on marketing to save costs makes good business sense, but the truth is marketing is more important than ever right now. Why? Well, many people are engaging in brand marketing more than ever. Life has slowed down, and this has given the consumer time to really watch what is going on. Also, people are looking for hope, looking for answers, looking for a way to pass the time and where they look- you can be found.
Now is the time to step-up, stand tall and tell your story.
New Marketing Strategy
Let us start here. You had a marketing strategy in place before COVID-19 that will need to be adapted. To get people to invest in you and your brand long-term you may have to re-think your overall message in for your current campaign. One thing is for sure, the hard sell is going to be verging on insulting in the current climate, so any sales-led marketing and your call-to-action are going to have to be watered down.
Be present
You might find that you have more time to focus on social media marketing right now which is great! A large part of social media marketing during the lockdown and the fall-out of COVID-19 is about being present, being seen. The companies that are actively marketing are the ones that are going to be at the forefront of peoples’ minds when normality resumes. To have potential consumers looking forward to being able to use your products or services again is a powerful place to be.
Live content
Live content is BIG during COVID-19 lockdown. People are getting in front of the camera and giving it their best shot (badum tschh). Live content allows your consumer to hear first-hand about what your business is doing to adapt, your plans, your candid ‘working from home’ struggles. It is an opportunity for your audience to see the real you and the personality behind the brand. If the audience likes you, and your content has provided some quality to their lockdown then guess who is getting a call once lockdown is over? YOU.
So what else...?
Businesses who were not utilising digital marketing are stepping up. Now is a great time to start issuing a newsletter as there is a higher chance of it being read, keep information relevant to the current situation, for example, Costa is still sending marketing emails with recipes you can make at home and giving the consumer information about what good causes they are supporting. Supporting good causes seems to be a popular theme for marketing with various industries, many food and beverage companies are helping the vulnerable in one way or another such as Sainsbury's who have created an e-voucher that can be sent to the carers of vulnerable people. People are feeling uneasy, so marketing is responding to that by using language and imagery to uplift and comfort. Marketing is very much focusing on how we are helping each other and getting through this hard time. Companies are opening up their services at a reduced cost or even for free rather than trying to capitalise on despair. These companies will remain in the minds of the consumer post-coronavirus.
Social media marketing is prevalent across most industries whether it is for food delivery or fitness at home. In the world of banking, Barclays is responding to consumers struggles by offering free business banking and they have a tv advert running at the moment to promote this, take note of the candid nature of the advert in comparison to the shiny polished adverts that we may have seen on tv before- that is a direct response to the current situation.
Start to pay attention to how your favourite brands are responding to the current situation. Draw inspiration from the market leaders in your field and as always, think about your consumer and what they want when you create and deliver your new marketing strategy.
How can your marketing add value to your consumers' experience? Can you offer reassurance, hope, a smile, a hearty laugh?
“Don’t build links. Build relationships” Rand Fishkin.
Get in touch with Purely Personal Marketing for more information on how our expertise and creativeness can help your business reach more customers.
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