How Should Your Marketing Shift During A Pandemic?

Now is the time to prioritize the customer. During a pandemic, the best marketers find a way to
promote products and services by letting the human side of the brand shine.
Marketers must rewrite their old playbooks and adopt new approaches to deliver campaigns in touch with the current reality and unique customer needs.

Show that your brand cares and is there for customers.

The old normal for marketing teams were short-term and long-term strategies. During the pandemic,
focus on the bigger picture, and that is long-term. Build trust and brand love through campaigns that
underscore your brand’s support and care for its customers in challenging times.

Acknowledge the strain of the pandemic emotionally, financially, and socially

Messaging could be as simple as highlighting the coronavirus safety guidelines by WHO. But the brands
that emerge stronger will step further.

For every new shift in reality, from strained social connections to increased financial pressure, these
companies will show what they do to make life easier. This is socially responsible marketing, and
it pays off in the long run.

Offer practical solutions to stand out from the rest.

Whether through digital or traditional marketing, many brands are more concerned about “we are in
this together” messaging.

Go a step further to show that you mean what you say with special discounts that address your
customer’s current financial strain, free deliveries, improved customer services, and offer any other
helpful solutions to their problems that fit your business model.

Double your online presence to make up for the physical disconnection

Social distancing has had a significant impact on businesses, too, just as much as it is straining relationships on
the consumers’ end. Now is the time to strengthen your online presence, not necessarily to make a hard
sale, but to keep the connection and conversation going.

Make your business readily accessible and highly responsive online so that customers can find your
assistance quickly when they need it.

Communicate first, sell later

The world has seen a 70% rise in internet searches since the pandemic started—more and more people
are seeking information. When marketing during a pandemic, re-strategize your content and messaging
to meet the informational needs of consumers.

Before you start talking about that new model of X and X with its cutting edge features, let customers
know how your services have been affected, safety precautions, company policy changes, and new
channels of communication.

Focus on lead nurturing as opposed to lead gathering

It’s not impossible to gain new customers now, but it’s hard, and it could cost you more than usual. The
best marketing approach is shifting focus to your existing customers and prospects that have already
shown interest in your offerings.

Your sales funnel must reflect the radically changing buyer behaviors and customer needs. For instance,
buyer journeys might be longer than usual with the uncertainties around, so plan for more content.

Test and see what works, then keep updating your strategy

At the start of the pandemic, there was panic buying and hoarding. But all that has waned
as people gradually get accustomed to the new normal.

Such are the radical buyer behaviors that require agility in all marketing strategies. For a content
marketing strategy now would be the time to test results across all channels, find out what is more
impactful.

Align marketing with changes in the business model

The pandemic forces changes in business models for survival and a positive impact on the community.
At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, even electronic companies, oil companies, and distillers dove
into the production of face masks and PPEs.

At your level, changes might have included giving employees new multitasking responsibilities such that
the chef is also the delivery guy. Does your marketing reflect these changes?

Marketing during a pandemic needs customer-centric strategies. The main message should be the
brand’s understanding of the tough times for consumers and ways it’s making life a little easier. Adopt
new approaches that reduce marketing spend while accelerating buyer journeys.