Summary:

Throughout this blog series, together we will be covering the following topics below at a more in depth, including the tactics, marketing tools/software to use and the plans for you to deploy within your marketing campaigns during these unprecedented times ahead, we will cover:

• HowTo Communication with Empathy & Transparency
• HowTo Use Social Media in More Agile Ways
• HowTo Promote Positivity & Goodwill in Your Marketing
• HowTo Educate Customers on Service Changes
• HowTo Tell and Show Consumers How the Company’s Values Will Continue
• HowTo Innovate What Your Customers Value About Your Business
• HowTo Prepare for The Next and Tackling the Future

To read our previous article, part 5/14: Surviving And Thriving During A Slow Economy, click here.

7. Preparing for The Next and Tackling the Future

As I write my research findings, it is the middle of April 2020, a time when we are in the acknowledgement and adaptation phase of the Covid-19 pandemic. While we are adapting to the present it is just as important to adapt life after the crisis and beyond.

When we are in the depth (the present) of a crisis, if possible we should demonstrate how our company is going “above and beyond” in all possible ways that point to a silver lining of the pandemic experience. Here we want to make it evident that our company is well-positioned to maintain its revised business model until things return to normal, sending a signal out stating that the company is weathering the storm.

What is also important here is that we highlight how our company has learnt from the pandemic experience, as well these learnings might improve the way our company operates after the pandemic ends. Begin by establishing a timeline for when you will re-evaluate the changes to your company’s operations.

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Tackling life after a crisis, Janet Balis, principal with Ernst & Young, from her piece on Harvard business review, Janet states that; as we navigate what we know, marketing leaders must work externally to keep their brands and customer journeys as whole as possible, while working internally to do three things:

1. Understand the impact of business interruption and continue to triage the unexpected.
2. Lean into digital ways of working and connecting with customers, knowing that this will likely have lasting effects.
3. Mitigate risks to the customer experience by thinking realistically from the outside-in.

Unquestionably, there is a forced acceleration of the digital transformation agenda as we recognize how quickly customers and employees have embraced digitally enabled journeys and experiences.

While all brands are having to rethink, operate and lead in new ways during unprecedented circumstances, we will come out the other side stronger from what we have learnt.

When in a time such as the COVID-19 pandemic crisis or an economic downtime, this is the perfect time to try and reach more of your consumers in a new way. If you or your company have been planning or wanting to create a new social media channel, launch a new marketing campaign, start a podcast or any new activity that will engage the company to innovating how they are reaching existing and new customers, then there’s never been a better time than today. This is the time, today’s world brings is fulfilled with tremendous possibilities of endless opportunities, you just have to innovate.

In the next section, we will go through how you can deploy and test new ways to reaching your consumers online. We will cover the best tools to use and how to use these tools to deliver your marketing message covered in the above sections.

8. Top 7 Ways to Deliver Your Brand Message During an Economic Downtime Or Crisis– click here to continue reading.

Summary:

Throughout this blog series, together we will be covering the following topics below at a more in depth, including the tactics, marketing tools/software to use and the plans for you to deploy within your marketing campaigns during these unprecedented times ahead, we will cover:

• HowTo Communication with Empathy & Transparency
• HowTo Use Social Media in More Agile Ways
• HowTo Promote Positivity & Goodwill in Your Marketing
• HowTo Educate Customers on Service Changes
• HowTo Tell and Show Consumers How the Company’s Values Will Continue
• HowTo Innovate What Your Customers Value About Your Business
• HowTo Prepare for The Next and Tackling the Future

To read our previous article, part 4/14: Surviving And Thriving During A Slow Economy, click here.

5. Tell and Show Consumers How the Company’s Values Will Continue.

Companies should promote as often as they can on how they’re going the extra mile to continue honouring the company values.

Tell and show consumers, despite the upheaval in how you operate, you will continue to provide the things that your consumers have come to know and love the most about your company, the defining reasons why they patronise your business instead of others.

By understanding that what your consumers value the most,  and by value, we mean the little details about your service, this could simply translate to what your consumers valuing the most is the thoughtful nature of your customer service being one of the most important reasons why they continue to buy from you, if this is true, then tell them how you are going to maintain the fulfilment of these value propositions.

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For example, Hans Wittlers Automotive, a North American, vehicle repair service based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hans Wittlers Automotive prides itself on the company’s convenience and safety.

Hans Wittlers have recently implemented a home pick up service, this is where the staff at the company are picking up vehicles for repair at customers’ homes and return them later once the repair has been completed, which by offering this service, it shouts out to the consumers; dedication, hard work, commitment but above all convenience and safety.

This is the exact reason why companies like Hans Wittlers will continue to prevail in difficult circumstances by winning the support and loyalty of its consumers.

When elaborating on the key points of assurance, it is vitally important to remind consumers that your company’s value propositions, e.g. what your consumers value the most about your company, will transcend the obstacles imposed by this or any future crisis.

6. Innovate What Your Customers Value About Your Business – click here to continue reading.

Summary:

Throughout this blog series, together we will be covering the following topics below at a more in depth, including the tactics, marketing tools/software to use and the plans for you to deploy within your marketing campaigns during these unprecedented times ahead, we will cover:

• HowTo Communication with Empathy & Transparency
• HowTo Use Social Media in More Agile Ways
• HowTo Promote Positivity & Goodwill in Your Marketing
• HowTo Educate Customers on Service Changes
• HowTo Tell and Show Consumers How the Company’s Values Will Continue
• HowTo Innovate What Your Customers Value About Your Business
• HowTo Prepare for The Next and Tackling the Future

To read our previous article, part 2/14: Surviving And Thriving During A Slow Economy, click here.

3. Promote Positivity & Goodwill in Your Marketing

People remember how they are made feel, similarly to brands, people will remember brands for their acts of good in a time of crisis, especially if the act is done from the heart and generosity.

This can be achieved from donations to the community, continuing to pay employees even when the business is shut or providing time or products for medical personnel/organisations fighting against Coronavirus.

Consumers will likely remember how companies like Ford and 3M partnered to repurpose manufacturing capacity, putting their workforce back to work to make respirators and ventilators that help fight Coronavirus.

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So, what can you do for your brand?

Create Feel-good content that will help ease the anxiety of your customers and those yet to become customers of your brand by sharing positive messages.

While it is important to show positivity, this must be ethnic, companies must show their contributions are material and not solely for commercial benefits.

Humans recognise authenticity and connect with those that display a true purpose.

3. Educate Customers on Service Changes – click here to continue reading.