A global crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic has two major effects on businesses. It can either paralyse an entire company, which often leads to business closure or it can keep a brand thriving which results in business success. Since the beginning of 2020, that’s exactly what is happening. While some are making huge decisions such as downsizing, some are busy developing marketing practices that hopefully can keep their businesses afloat.
Biggest Marketing Challenges During COVID-19
A year after the COVID-19 pandemic has made its way into our lives, it’s only safe to say that we’re still on the learning curve. Scientists are still working to find the cure for the virus, doctors are still left with no other option but to treat its symptoms, economic experts are still looking at the effects of COVID-19 on the world’s economy and marketers are still looking into the biggest marketing challenges that might occur in these trying times.
With each passing day, the challenges especially to the marketing departments are becoming clearer and clearer. These include:
Shifting priorities and transforming marketing practices
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many businesses to shift priorities and transform marketing practices all at the same time. For starters, businesses that were planning to host conferences or attend trade shows had no other choice but to shift to virtual events. Simply put, these businesses were put on hold or if not, they may need to work on a tighter budget with smaller groups.
Adjusting budgets and investments
Speaking of budgets, the COVID-19 pandemic has also created a huge impact on the way businesses manage their investments. As more and more brands lean towards virtual settings, investments in live events begin to drop.
Understanding and implementing the use of technology
The major shift from traditional marketing to digital marketing only means that the need for marketers to understand and implement the use of technology has increased. Compared to the past years, marketers have started investing resources on other platforms such as web content, webinars, social media content and video content since the beginning of 2020.
List of Best Marketing Practices During COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has indeed rocked the world of many entrepreneurs worldwide. While laying low may seem like the safest thing to do, you can’t stay idle for too long. Keeping your consumers informed especially in times like this is necessary.
To help you keep your business up and running amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, here’s a list of the best marketing practices you might need to look at.
Give your customers the assurance they need.
Fear is inevitable especially during times of uncertainty. As a business owner, your job is to give your customers the assurance they need. Give them a reminder that they are not alone and that you’re not going anywhere. Some of the best ways to do it are through email updates and by posting on social media regularly. Reassuring your customers in such trying times would mean so much to them. When doing so, make sure to use a calm, positive tone. Don’t forget to leave them your contact info if they have further questions.
Provide value to the audience.
Sure, creativity is a must for marketing. But in times like this, people need more than just that. Creating content that speaks to the reality of the crisis itself is what matters. Alongside telling a story, brands should ask themselves: “How can I help the community in these trying times?” While giving back to society may not lead to an increase in sales immediately, it can help you build trust and loyalty.
Create virtual relationships
Given the competition, marketing your business online can be really tough especially in the midst of a pandemic. The best thing you can do is to embrace the virtual world and start creating genuine relationships. A great way to do this is by keeping honest and open communication going. When connecting with your customers during a crisis, being genuine and empathetic is a lot necessary.
Be active
Laying low during a pandemic and until everything goes back to normal may seem like the most practical to do for most business owners. But the thing is no one actually knows how long this crisis would last. Day by day, the pandemic affects the outlook of each consumer, changing their overall behavior. This in turn would create an impact on businesses. Brands can no longer use their old techniques. Rather, they need to understand the customers and act based on the insights they can get.
SMMILE: Implementing the Best Marketing Practices to Help Businesses During COVID-19 Pandemic
Get to know more about SMMILE and see how we can help transform your business in these trying times. Call us at (65) 8687 8143 or email us at hello@smmile.com
Chris Anne
Smmile is a Digital Marketing Agency in Singapore with over 10 years of experience in the industry.