By L. A. Tucker
Your clients are people first. Before you create your marketing strategy, check on your clients and see how they are holding up right now; find out what their needs are and the hurdles they’re facing; ask about their families. Be a human first. That personal touch may be the difference between your client choosing to continue doing business with you during the crisis or waiting until it’s over. A thoughtful, creative marketing campaign could be just the added boost a brand or business needs to push through this pandemic.
Audit Your Marketing Plan
Review the campaigns that are already running or are in the pipeline. Take a look at your imagery and language. Avoid images of large crowds and language that implies close interactions. Beyond multimedia campaigns review your communication channels and explore ways to boost your social media engagement or increase your subscriber count.
Adjust Your Messaging
Your communications should be compassionate, informative, clever, and on point. Don’t be someone you’re not. The important thing is to let your customers know that you are still there for them and able to provide the service or products they expect from you.
Key messages:
- Explain changes to procedures that current customers may be accustomed to
- Communicate your brand/business’ benefits, tailor your brand promise to address the current climate
- Create content that can inform, entertain or inspire people. Even if people aren’t ready to spend money, constant touchpoints will keep your brand in their mind. Remember, it’s not just about you.
- Be personable and involve your employees. Make it personal and connect on multiple levels.
- Create a video or two that could be a how-to in an engaging way, or a behind-the-scenes sneak peek, Now is a good time to position your brand as an expert in your industry, generate conversations and reach new people.
Don’t Capitalize
Very few brands have the ability to tastefully go viral right now—don’t try. You risk creating a tone-deaf campaign that alienates your customer base. Again, your messaging should resonate with your customers and acknowledge the seriousness of the situation. Buyers react to authentic and conscious brands. Please no:
- COVID-19 Flash Sales! Or something else equally offensive
- Bragging about success. The quarantine is affecting everyone differently. Be mindful that this is a scary, difficult time for most.
- Doomsday posts or emails.
Look Forward
Although there isn’t a hard date on when this will be over, we know that it will not last forever. Consider where you want your brand to be post-pandemic. Hopefully, you’ve been reinventing your brand as needed during this time and preparing for the post COVID-19 landscape as best you can. Your marketing efforts now can pay dividends in the future if you’re consistent, creative and true to your brand and your vision.