5 Tips for marketing strategy adjustments 2020

It's been a challenging few weeks with COVID-19's impact on the entire world, with ramifications for both individuals and businesses. Instead of individuals preparing for summer trips and outings, people are stuck inside, worrying about their families, their jobs and their health. Businesses are also struggling, some being forced to close completely while others try to provide some sense of normalcy for customers. Now, more than ever, brands need to tend to the needs of their customers to keep their businesses afloat and alive. Adapting your marketing strategies to empathize with customers is critical to making it successfully through this unprecedented situation. 

How can you adapt your marketing strategy?  

There are a few ways you should adapt your marketing strategy during this time to help keep your business running and, more importantly, growing. 

Update your brand messaging and voice 

Before you do anything else, take a look at your brand messaging. Make sure it’s genuine and fits with what your audience is going through. Avoid making false promises, especially if you're a retail brand, along with messaging that’s too promotional or self-serving. Instead, be authentic and approach customers with sensitivity. 

Use your website for good 

If you have a website, address the COVID-19 situation on your homepage with an empathetic tone. If you’re a retail brand, use your homepage as an opportunity to be transparent about product availability and shipping delays. Before you consider running a promotion or sale, make sure it isn’t capitalistic and actually provides value to your customers. Don’t have a website? Now is a great time to create one. At Early Express, we can help you design and optimize a website for your business. 

Listen to customers 

It’s more important than ever to know what your customers think, feel and do right now. Use social listening to monitor customer discussions around health concerns or needs relevant to your brand. Monitor customer care emails, phone calls and chats for any changes in sentiment about your brand or the current situation. This will help you create more authentic and personal marketing messages that resonate with your customers. 

It’s time to go digital 

With most brick-and-mortar stores closed and the threat of public safety rising, e-commerce is thriving. Customers are not just shopping online for retail, they are also ordering necessities, like groceries, pet food and medical supplies, and even taking classes online. It’s likely that behavior won’t stop soon and customers will find themselves continuing to spend more time online after this is over. 

That means customers are more likely to see and interact with digital advertising. If your business doesn’t have a digital marketing strategy, now is the time to invest in one. Omni-channel marketing gives you the ability to pair online and offline channels for the whole customer experience. Solutions like IP targeting, New Movers and SiteChaser can expand your digital footprint and make you more accessible than ever.

Optimize your marketing budget   

Evaluate your current marketing plan and look for opportunities to drive efficiency. Take advantage of marketing solutions that give you the most bang for buck, like direct mail. Direct mail has one of the best response rates and is one of the most cost effective solutions available today. For the best ROI, pair direct mail with digital advertising to reinforce your message and create a personalized campaign. 

If you’re interested in an omni-channel marketing strategy, we’re here to help. Early Express is a family-owned business based in Dayton, OH. We know the struggles of being a small business during this challenging time and take pride in supporting other local businesses. We offer online and offline marketing solutions to compound campaign effectiveness and drive results, and are happy to help you.