As the Safari parks became empty due to lack of visitors, photographs of lions sleeping in the middle of the road started surfacing. Additionally, pictures of animals wandering around in some secluded regions of Ireland and extremely clear skies were also captured.
As news of life returning to normal in China, and both imports and exports restarting (albeit on a limited scale), along with workers returning to their workplaces, there is hope for startups to survive the pandemic. Despite the recent prediction by IMF of tough economic conditions for the world in 2020, we shouldn’t lose hope.
With the growing population and vitality of the digital world, brands are adopting fresh marketing approaches to remain current and successful. Thus, there is no reason why you cannot do the same.
Presented to you today are some vital modifications to your strategy that will aid in rethinking your content marketing tactics and sustaining your business despite the effects of Covid-19.
Revised Marketing Strategy Key Points:
As you revise your marketing strategy , remember that in all of your communications to your audience, messages of safety, hope, and consideration for those who don’t have it easy during this time will be paramount. It’s this sensitivity that’ll be your best move going forward.
– Prioritize Sensitivity & Safety
You have a responsibility as a brand to demonstrate to both your audience and the broader market how to adhere to safety measures, show empathy towards others during these challenging times, and comply with social distancing regulations set by the government.
Cottonelle communicated a reassuring message to its customers through the #ShareASquare campaign, in response to the toilet paper shortage caused by panic buying. The brand demonstrated its compassion and practicality, while also discouraging further hoarding of supplies.
It told its customers to ‘stock up on generosity’ and not on panic.
When revising your marketing strategy, it is important to prioritize safety. If your business is only permitted to operate in certain ways, such as offering delivery or pickup options, ensure that you promote these options effectively to your customers. Additionally, make sure that your employees are trained to follow all necessary safety protocols with extra attention paid to avoiding mistakes that could lead to sickness or injury for others.
Make safety a top priority in your work procedures and ensure that you convey this to your consumers and other sections of the market as well.
– Make Your Brand More Accessible By Listening To Your Customers
Consider how your services could benefit your customers during this time, particularly as people are spending more time at home. This is especially relevant if you’re a company that specializes in home improvement.
– Social Media Is Now More Important Than Ever
According to Social Media Today, individuals have increased their time spent on social media apps by 20% since the commencement of lockdown, which is a reasonable response. As there are few places to visit, social media apps serve as an interactive pastime. Whereas Netflix and other video marketing services might experience a surge in their utilization during this period, it is evident that social media is thriving at the moment.
Take advantage of this opportunity to establish a powerful and efficient online presence for yourself. Begin by developing a dependable website that boasts an eye-catching layout. Additionally, complement your website with a substantial presence on several social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
Having a presence on these top five social media platforms, which have been widely utilized and acclaimed, can enhance your visibility and enable you to effectively engage with your intended audience.
– Connect With & Appreciate Your Existing Customers
It would be wise to implement a successful marketing technique during this period by reaching out to your current clients and providing them with a memorable experience to associate with your brand once the pandemic subsides. Depending on your company’s individual operations, you may offer coupons, gift certificates, reward cards, or loyalty initiatives. If plausible, you could initiate sudden sales, perks, and complimentary shipping.
In the event that your business has been entirely closed as a result of the crisis, make sure to email your customers expressing your current situation, outlining any potential plans for the future, and above all, emphasizing your eagerness to resume serving them.
By making an effort to maintain communication with your current customers, despite not being able to conduct business with them presently, you demonstrate that you regard them as more than mere purchasers, but rather as loyal supporters of your brand. You can be confident that once the current situation passes, as it inevitably will, your customers will recall your actions and return to your establishment.
– Find Your New Niche
In these changed circumstances, it is crucial to adapt swiftly and decisively. If your current role has become less relevant, it is important to overhaul yourself in order to remain a relevant participant in your industry.
When Ford started producing medical equipment instead of cars in its factories, it made a decision. Similarly, in March, high-end perfume makers like Dior and Givenchy stated that they would produce hand sanitizers in a few of their factories to meet the growing need for the hygiene product.
Taking actions such as these not only enchant a brand’s current clientele, but also encourage others to perceive it as something beyond a mere business entity.
By emulating these brands, you have the option of creating your own unique niche and positioning yourself as a problem solver during these unprecedented times. For instance, you could produce handmade masks for medical professionals, organize outdoor photoshoots to promote your photography business, or supply warm meals to those who are struggling. Stay vigilant for opportunities where you can have an impact and be ready to take action.
– Make Your Brand More Accessible By Listening To Your Customers
If you haven’t been attentive to your customers’ altering demands, your updated marketing plans could have negative effects. It’s crucial to bear in mind that as a result of this worldwide health crisis, individuals may have altered their perspectives. What you learned from your research about the market three months ago may not be applicable today.
It is essential to communicate with your customers and heed their feedback. Conducting an astute survey is the best approach to achieve this. The survey should inquire about the current circumstances’ impact, including how their daily routine has altered, what activities they anticipate when things return to normal, the types of businesses they are presently frequenting, the sort of content they are interested in, and any changes in their priorities.
To build a well-informed foundation for your marketing, it is crucial to ask the appropriate questions that can yield the answers you require.
Focus on the customers you already have
To attract more customers, consider prioritizing your efforts on the ones who remain loyal to your business despite the challenging economic situation, rather than focusing solely on acquiring new ones.
Apart from devising services and promotional strategies to cater to their revised needs, it may be worthwhile to reimburse patrons who paid in advance or were automatically charged during the lockdown period. Despite the fact that this may adversely affect your immediate cash flow, the funds you return will likely return to you manifold when the economy stabilizes and your newly devoted customers are prepared to make purchases once more.
One instance is Neil Patel including his premium UberSuggest features with the free version. This led to a decline in free trial signups, but resulted in many individuals within the industry expressing their gratitude through emails and purchases of the paid plan as a symbol of appreciation.
Move everything online
Due to the pandemic-induced lockdowns and travel limitations, it’s not unexpected that there has been a shift towards online platforms. Scott Jones, who serves as the CEO of 123InternetGroup, revealed to Forbes that they have observed a surge in businesses seeking to either construct or improve their websites, devise fresh social media strategies that cater to remote workers, and prioritize ecommerce patterns and avenues.
It is important to enhance your virtual presence at this moment. It is possible that you have already integrated some of your business activities on the internet (maybe with the help of one of these 64 economical online marketing aids). However, the pandemic has revealed to us the immense potential we have to expand our online efforts.
One could opt to automate their email correspondence or services. iNECTA, a cloud-based ERP software intended for the food sector, has recently introduced a feature that enables clients to efficiently carry out tasks such as receiving orders, monitoring lots, generating bills, and handling their food business entirely through an online platform.
Online classes also fall under this category of being essential. Preply, which is a language learning company, experienced increased sales during the pandemic due to their prior preparation and planning. Irrespective of the sector you operate in, there is an opportunity to offer more services online, thereby giving you an edge over your rivals and attracting potential clients.
Here are a few thoughts on how this could be visualized:
- Investing in a good customer relationship management (CRM) software.
- Hosting informative webinars to build trust and attract new customers, or even to employees to take their skills up a notch.
- Supporting your employees’ work-from-home needs.
To summarize, it is essential for a business to increase its number of operational procedures as it allows for better interaction with both customers and employees, leading to resilience and prosperity.
It is essential for a business to maintain resilience and flourish by staying connected with its customers and employees through bringing more processes online.
Invest in Facebook ads
The return on investment for PPC ads in numerous industries has significantly increased as a result of people spending more time at home and on social media. This presents an opportunity to showcase the viability of your business and highlight your goal of being a vital part of the current societal changes.
