COVID-19 has completely redefined crisis with unprecedented effects on almost every industry. Businesses are no exceptions. As corporations have started facing the fact that the effects may be long-term, marketers are gearing up to invent new strategies to keep up with the sudden influx of new platforms and competition or lack of it in some cases.
From erratic changes in buying behaviour to decrease in consumer spending in most industries, marketers have to grapple with unique challenges.
Thus, marketers need to focus on building trust with their customers and rework their marketing strategy as per re-defined KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) based on new goals. Some strategies and ideas are listed below for marketers to strengthen their further approach.
Change your Business Goals
Brands, all over the globe, are having a hard time coping with the overnight shift in the market dynamics. Reviewing the basic and advanced goals of the company and adjusting them accordingly to make them more meaningful and valid might function as the company’s road to recovery. Keep in mind to reflect the changes in the KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) you use to measure the performance of your digital strategy effectively.
Communicate Responsibly To Your Audience
While the negative effects of the pandemic are far too many to count, it is also true that the online viewing time has increased dramatically. The increased screen time also opens up a lot of opportunities for marketers to communicate effectively during these times.
Although it is important to communicate with your audience, being sensitive is the key. When many brands are chiming in seeking an opportunity, most of them are doing it wrong. For instance, outbound messages need to be segmented as per the buyer’s journey. Make sure the communication is relevant and valuable.
Consider the Shift in Buying Needs and Behaviors
Brands need to consider the shift that has impacted its target audience. The buyer personas have transformed due to the pandemic situation and its after-effects. Preferences, priorities, interests, budgets, and mental well-being have shifted. Social distancing, lack of social interaction, and remote working conditions have impacted consumer choices and drifted them towards essentials. Hence, investing time to study and analyze the buyer personas and their buying behaviour becomes an important aspect of the new pandemic-friendly marketing strategy.
Focus on Creating E-commerce Strategy
While e-commerce has been rising steadily since the last decade, the pandemic has surely given it an added boost. Thus, it is essential to create an effective e-commerce strategy that complements a good email marketing, content marketing and video marketing strategy to create a rich consumer experience. From photos, instructional videos, to case studies, and Google Ads, marketers will need to use both paid and organic media to attract the attention of consumers to its products and services.
Creating a Long-term Strategy
The pandemic will not last forever, but the effects may. However, brands need to create an effective long-term strategy rather than focusing on short-term effects. Keeping the brand identity intact while adjusting it to meet the renewed KPIs is going to be a key challenge for all the marketers.
While there are a lot of data and insights that show how the dynamics are changing, no one knows for sure what would be the post-pandemic scenario. Thus, brands need to redefine their digital marketing strategy while keeping their end goals and brand ethos in mind.
