A COVID-19 marketing follow-up to 8 Marketing Initiatives During COVID-19 that we previously released.

If you are like most, you are probably asking yourself these and many other questions. Will advertising right now even serve a purpose? Are my customers even looking for my product right now? Is it too early to be thinking about future marketing? Should I re-valuate my messaging? These and many other questions like them are probably top-of-mind right now; COVID-19 has not only substantially changed the way you operate your business for the unforeseeable future, but it has also changed consumer behaviors, shopping habits and the entire marketing and media landscape!

Here are a few things to consider when marketing during COVID-19.

1.   Be conscientious and sympathetic.

• • Adapt to your customers’ new needs. Ask yourself, is your product or business essential to them right now, if so, be clear how it is, but also be sympathetic to the fact that many just need to know you are there for them regardless. If it is not, do not stop marketing, it’s best to adjust your messaging to be more informational and less call to action. Stop yelling to start selling!
  • Give back! People want to know what you are doing to give back to the community, your employees, to support health care workers, to stay safe, etc. We have said it before, but it bears repeating, it also still important to let people know your hours and scheduling.
  • Assure them of what you are doing to keep your business and employees safe? While it may be implied that you are following CDC guidelines now, it’s still important to keep your safety procedures top of mind.
  • Do not offer marketing specials around the pandemic and be careful of the tone of any comedic marketing or play on words during this time. While you might have a savings offer that has to be in the forefront, make sure to stay away from phrases like COVID sale, back to normal sale, etc.

2.   Think about customer conversations now and conversions later

• • As stated above, what is important to your customers right now? Adapt to and align your stories to resonate now and bring awareness to your brand. Using the proper social channels and digital mix will allow you to think about the conversion later. You could consider creating a “conversion” such as inviting them to join your mailing list, participate in a survey that you can use later down the road to build a campaign or remarketing audience around.

3.   Clean up and look at what you have done in the past….this can mean the WAY past!

• • Work on an advertising assets audit. A marketing audit can deliver lots of insights for your company but looking at things such as your website’s blog, brochures, social media, collateral materials and more. Too often, we post something and then never go back to it again. An idea from 10 years ago, might just be relevant again in this unprecedented time.

If you need more marketing ideas during COVID, be sure to refer back to 8 Marketing Initiatives During COVID-19.

Midwest Marketing in Rapid City is open and we have many marketing packages available as well as mini marketing consultations. Call us at 605.716.5666 or email us at dawn@mwmsd.com to find out more about your marketing options.