Why (and How) You Should Keep Marketing During the COVID crisis?
We are truly living in strange and unique times. Whether you’re a full-time employee, a student or a stay-at-home parent – the pandemic spreading across the globe has no doubt uprooted your usual lifestyle.
If your health has not been impacted, perhaps the potential economic fallout is something that concerns you instead – particularly if you’re a small business owner. But there’s no need to fear. Instead, you should consider this as an opportunity.
Look for opportunity
During an economic crisis, people still need products and services. Supporting small, local businesses has never been more important than right now. And that message is being spread like wildfire across social media networks – just search the hashtag #supportlocal and you’ll find thousands of new posts trending across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
However, that doesn’t mean you should rely on word-of-mouth to keep your business afloat.
Truth be told, some businesses may struggle during these trying times – but those who come out on top the other side of it (let’s not forget, there will be an “other side”), will be the ones who maintain or even increase their marketing efforts over the next couple of months.
With many people required to quarantine at home or choosing to self-isolate for the sake of their families and the community, Aussies will be spending even more time online than usual. This means your online marketing strategy is more important than ever. By putting your brand in front of searchers, you’ll increase brand loyalty and top-of-mind-awareness (TOMA), so when your customer spends again (which may be sooner than you think), they’ll think of you.
Of course, your usual strategy may not quite cut it anymore. You’re going to need to adapt and find a “new normal”, at least for the time-being. Sequoia Capital predicts that the businesses that will survive the disruption “are not the strongest or the most intelligent, but the most adaptable to change.”
So what exactly should you be doing differently?
Keep the following pointers in mind:
Be understanding and empathetic with your audience - but don’t be afraid to continue to promote your products and services.
Think about how your business may benefit your customers during the crisis, whether it be functional, educational or entertaining – and highlight those benefits in your campaign.
And of course, share any vital updates with your customers about changes to your logistics and business model that may impact how and when they can buy from you. Be clear and consistent in your messaging to avoid any potential confusion – and make sure your lines of communication are open.
If you do need to shut your doors (due to government restrictions or otherwise), use this time wisely to re-jig your website, create some content for future use, get those new business cards designed and get your marketing collateral in order ready for a fresh start down the line. Maybe this is the “me time” your business has been waiting for.
In an economic downturn, it’s important to keep spending and supporting one another. This works both ways; continue to grab the morning coffee from your corner store (many are now offering home delivery options), think about purchasing gift cards from your local clothing boutique to spend at a later date, or keep that dentist appointment (that you know you shouldn’t be cancelling anyway).
We Australians have a fighting spirit and together we’ll get through this – and Ignite will be here to help with all of your marketing needs, every step of the way.
References:
https://medium.com/sequoia-capital/coronavirus-the-black-swan-of-2020-7c72bdeb9753
https://dynamicbusiness.com.au/topics/news/brands-pivot-their-marketing-strategies-in-the-wake-of-the-coronavirus.html