Like most of us, you probably see a lot of COVID-19 advice and communication from marketers on how we’re supposed to handle this pandemic. Today we’re going to talk about something that most of them don’t even touch on, and that’s how to transition from talking about COVID-19 to sensitively marketing your business.
Being Too “Salesy”
Another mistake that people make right now is to continue marketing as if nothing has happened. If what you’re selling doesn’t make sense for your customers at the moment, then you should focus on planning and waiting for the right time.
Be empathetic and think about what your customers need to know at the moment and how you can fit into the conversation.
For instance, if you’re a retail shop that offers something people need, offer it to them where they are, but don’t make it salesy. Instead, tap into your generous side and give away corporate promotional products and gifts that people need.
Buying Traffic
Buying traffic has to be one of the biggest digital marketing mistakes a business owner can make, and it can be a massive waste of money because you end up with traffic that doesn’t convert the way you expect it to.
This mistake often happens because people are looking for a new solution or a new traffic source. The truth is, none of it really matters if you don’t have a presentation that converts.
Fail to Plan and You Plan To fail
Once you’ve identified the services that are appropriate to get you out of this financial crisis, start the creative development process without hesitation. Don’t wait until we’re at the bottom of the curve that everyone’s talking about. Start developing content so it’s available and ready to go when it’s appropriate.
Not Building Community
This pandemic has given us a huge gift in the form of new ways of connecting with our communities. Embrace this and carry it forward into the post-pandemic era. Building a relationship with your online community is better than any ad campaign, and the marketing you do in the post-pandemic era should leverage that connection. Do as the name suggests and be social on social media – you may even enjoy yourself in the process of relationship building.
Going Into Limbo
Marketing is one of those activities where once you get the ball rolling, it’s much easier to keep it going on its own momentum. If you stop the wheel, you have to go through all the inertia to get it cranking again.
Research shows that when companies continue to be visible and active in the customer’s eyes, they come out of recessions faster and better positioned than their quieter competition. While it might not be appropriate to keep selling your product today, you should still keep yourself in front of your customers in a less commercial way.
Restaurants are a great example of this. Chefs are offering recipe videos and cooking lessons as an effective way to keep people engaged and ensure that they continue to support the business when doors open again.
The idea of putting together a post-pandemic marketing plan is probably unfathomable right now because we’re in the thick of the pandemic. But, you need a process or map for how to exit out of COVID-19 communications and transition to service-line marketing without being crass.
Focus on what your customers need and maintain your brand message, even if you’re not selling. This will set you up to hit the ground running with marketing that’ll drive revenue for your company.
