Nothing will test the human spirit quite like a global pandemic. The coronavirus is, first and foremost, a human tragedy. The rate of infection coupled with widespread panic has turned our everyday lives upside-down.
As supply chains are disrupted, economies falter and businesses flail, entire towns, cities, nations and countries draw closer in an attempt to navigate all these unknowns as a hopeful beacon of the human race’s tenacity, hopefulness and ability to overcome.
No-one can calculate the true cost of the coronavirus on human life, no-one can predict how long the pandemic will last or if a vaccine is imminent, and there’s no way of telling how different industries and businesses will be affected. However, we can persevere with our businesses, as in our personal lives, and we can do this by considering new and innovative ways of staying connected, expanding our brands, and preparing for when the season picks up again.
- Stay Connected:
By staying connected and implementing a sustained digital presence, your business can stay close to your customers and anticipate and respond to trends as they shift and change. By investing in the core customer segment and responding to consumer demands and changing consumer preferences, your business could be ahead of the curve as the markets shift and consumer confidence returns.
- Maintain Recall:
Although overall consumer demand is down, the coronavirus has forced people indoors, thereby promoting the shift to online shopping and consumers spending even more time on their mobile devices browsing the web for products and services. By maintaining an active digital marketing presence, your business can maintain brand recall in the minds of consumers.
Google ads, improved website SEO and social media marketing, e.g. Facebook, are ideal digital marketing channels in the current global climate – many people are working from home, and many consumers may have more downtime. By maximising your business exposure during the slow season you will be futureproofing your business by making the most of the current available traffic.
Consider placing socially responsible Google ads and Facebook ads to maintain brand recall for when the season picks up again.
- Be Creative, Be Tasteful:
These are uncertain times and consumers are unpredictable. Your business could take this opportunity to come up with creative digital marketing strategies that differentiates your business from the competition and creates added value for your loyal customers, e.g. hold pricing, offer bundled deals and discounts. These strategies could benefit a number of different industries, including retail online stores, restaurants and even the construction industry.
It’s important to remember the context of your digital marketing campaign and remain conscious of brand safety – the world is still in the grips of a pandemic and as much as your business could reap the rewards of the online exposure you harness now, an ill-conceived or poorly-placed online ad or digital marketing strategy could have the opposite effect.
