Marketing During COVID-19 – A New Outlook on Marketing
If you have not already developed a new marketing plan due to COVID-19 then now is the time. All points of marketing have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and being sensitive to your customers and their budget is essential. There are several marketing tips to help maximize a budget and connect with customers. Here are a few that may assist with your marketing strategy.
Marketing During COVID-19 – Share What Your Company is Doing to Handle the Pandemic
Your customers need to know that you are available and are still providing the services or products they need to maintain their business. While businesses may not be functioning as usual, many are working remotely and are focusing more on their online communications. Let your customers know how to reach you and advise them of the services or products that may have changed due to the complications of the pandemic.
Stay Connected with Your Customers Online
Support your customers by reaching out with resources that can help their marketing and sales. Staying connected online is of the upmost importance for businesses that have been closed during the pandemic. Check in with your customers frequently to answer any questions and help them navigate through the daily changes and challenges.
Incorporate Empathy in Your Marketing Communications
The key to communicating while you are marketing during COVID-19 is to make sure you are empathetic to your customer’s business situation and budget. Many business owners have to make tough choices and budgets are tighter than usual. While you are marketing during COVID-19 do your research and be as cost effective as possible to ensure that your customer’s budget is maximized. Put a plan in place that meets your customer’s expectations with ROI producing results. Additionally, ensure that all marketing messaging is empathetic to the current world circumstances. Understand your audience and research the problems that need to be resolved. Be the solution.
Refresh Online Content and Revisit Campaign Strategies
A new way of marketing has developed since COVID-19 arrived. Due to these circumstances, it is important to make sure your keywords and content are up to date with a current message, especially on the homepage or blog. Ensure your content provides a value to your customer; examples of this are resources for their business, ways to help them operate more efficiently, cost-saving products and services or tips to help grow or retain their customer base.
It is also a time to revisit a Pay Per Click (PPC) strategy. Generally the focus has changed during this time and budgets may be better spent on brand identity and value versus sales. Many business owners are tempted to stop or pause their campaigns, however, not getting in front of your customers may make them forget your brand. Out of sight is out of mind. Instead of pausing a campaign, consider a reduced budget with focus on brand identity and value to your customer.
Update Marketing Plans with Long-Term Goals in Mind
No one knew the world would shut down, and something like COVID 19 was not likely prepared for in a marketing plan. So, if your business has not developed a short or long-term COVID-19 marketing plan, then now is the time. No one knows how long COVID-19 is going to be around, so it is good idea to plan and organize what your business is going to do financially to survive it. Some of your original long-term marketing plans may remain, with some changes, and this, may be the main focus of your marketing during COVID-19. However, your plan on reaching those goals in the short term will likely change and should be revisited in your marketing plan.
Let Marketing Communication Tools Guide Sales Teams
There are many marketing tools such as marketing automation and customer relationship management systems that are beneficial while you are marketing through COVID-19. Use these tools to your advantage to help guide your sales team on your customers new behavior. You may discover customers who were normally behaving one way are working with a different marketing strategy that are making them behave differently now. Your marketing and sales teams should be aware of these new behaviors to know how to strategize your own marketing and sales plans.
Be Sensitive to Your Audience on Social Media
Social media is a great way to connect with your audience during COVID-19, but it is especially important to be aware of your message so it does not come off as insensitive. Social listening during these sensitive times allows you to be aware of what topics, hashtags and other engagement your audience is partaking in. Social listening helps you craft the right message, engage responsibly and post your message at the appropriate times. A 2020 social marketing strategy is necessary.
Marketing during COVID-19 is an ongoing process as everything continues to evolve. Being actively involved in communication with your customers, audience and staff is essential to developing the right strategy. At Strategic Marketing we can assist you with your marketing during COVID-19. You can reach us at 561 688-8155.
- Published in Strategic Marketing, Web Design
Five Benefits of a Customer Database
Knowing your customer base is a crucial component of a successful business. A customer database is a collection of information about all the customers that have made a purchase from your business. It is the most powerful tool at your disposal. After all, what’s better than repeat business? If you’re not taking advantage of your customer database you’re missing out on potential sales. Here are the top 5 benefits to using your customer database for your marketing efforts.
Create Brand Affinity
Today’s customers want to buy from businesses they know and love. When armed with a customer database, you have the ability to build brand affinity by sending out marketing emails to people that have opted to receive them. Reaching out to customers by sharing new products, special offers or company news can help them feel connected to your business and nurture a relationship of trust.
Develop Customer Loyalty
A customer database allows your business to identify the most loyal and profitable customers. You’ll be able to target and give the red carpet treatment to this segmented audience. An effective way to reach these customers is through email marketing that takes the preferences of the customer into account. This engages customers, building further brand loyalty, and can inspire them to share your brand with friends and family. Not to mention, sending them special discounts and offers is a great way to encourage new purchases.
Provide Better Customer Service
Happy customers equal good business. Database marketing allows you to develop a stronger relationship with your customers. Having information like buying behavior, post-purchase feedback and reviews allows businesses to take a consumer-centric approach to customer service. Keeping up to date with the wants of your customer base allows the insight necessary to personalize communication so you can serve them better.
Direct Channel to Customers
One of the key benefits of a customer database is that it is a collection of actual customers that have purchased from you in the past. The foremost benefit of leveraging these names is that because they are verified customers, they are already interested in your product or service. The desire to purchase from your business is higher than it would be if you were prospecting for new customers.
Launching New Products
Rolling out new products to a small segment of your audience is a great way to test the water before launching it on a wider scale. You can target an audience based on information from your customer database. Selecting a group of your most trusted customers can allow a business to gather constructive feedback that can help improve later versions of the product. Keeping a pulse on what customers think and want is a great way to enhance the products you offer and how you offer them.
Take Your Brand to the Next Level with Strategic Marketing
Strategic Marketing is a full-service advertising agency, offering over 25 years of experience. We’ve helped businesses across many different industries establish powerful branding strategies within their relevant markets. Through various traditional and digital marketing tactics, our specialists can determine the most effective strategy based on your goals. Whether you’re looking to launch a new brand or update what you already have, we can help get your brand noticed. Contact us today by visiting our contact page or calling (561) 688-8155 to learn more.
- Published in Marketing Strategy
Gillette Commercial – The Controversy of Men’s Behavior and Masculinity
Trending for a Reason: Gillette Goes Viral
If you haven’t seen Gillette’s newest commercial “The Best Men Can Be” then you are missing Gillette’s view new take on male role modeling. This commercial is definitely getting people talking and there is a lot of controversy about whether the ad is modeling good behavior in men or simply attacking their masculinity. The ad talks about bullying, cyber bullying and sexual harassment by men but also shows men standing up for one another. So, what is your view on this ad?
What Makes a Man Masculine Anyways?
Many men are raised to believe that being tough is about showing strong masculinity. This is partially true; however, Gillette’s commercial displays a different view of masculinity. Men can still be tough, have strong masculinity AND model good behavior. Standing up for what is right and being at your best can exhibit the strength of a man’s character while still sustaining his masculinity. This ad simply shows men modeling bad behavior as well as men modeling good behavior, and I think the message here is that we need to see more of the latter. Being a mom of two boys, I can say the scenes with the mothers hugging their boys hit home with me. It’s a mom’s gut instinct to always protect her children, and I know I am not alone when I say that bullying is out of control. The man in the video helping that child being bullied is what all of us should be doing, man or woman. However, Gillette does make razors for both men and women, and if they wanted to settle the score with the perceived attack on masculinity then they could have made the ad modeling good behavior in both genders. But, with that being said, it wouldn’t have made such an impact nor would it have gone viral. The ad was intentional, controversial and impactful.
See the Good in All Things
If you ask me, I think that we see enough bullying, sexual harassment and overall bad behavior in the news and not just from men. Getting a little reminder that it is okay to stand up for the underdog and that it’s okay to model good behavior should be seen a little more often. I have two boys that I would gladly show this video. It displays the overall goodness of men’s values and character and is what I try to instill in them every day. Gillette’s commercial gets a five-star review from me. It covers many controversial topics and provides an insight on how some problems can be resolved all while preserving a man’s masculinity, but that’s just my take on this commercial. Any commercial that sparks this much conversation is a win in my book.
- Published in Advertisements, Advertising, Marketing Trends
