COVID-19 has thrown almost all businesses into a ‘never seen before’ crisis. While businesses are still uncertain about what the future holds for them, this can be an excellent opportunity for you to restructure your marketing strategy.
First thing first, going by recent trends, we can assume that post-COVID marketing will not be the same. While the fundamentals remain the same, businesses that wish to capture the momentum need to restrategize their vision and marketing techniques.
Read this article to know how businesses, like real estate, who depend on direct customer interactions are living up to the challenge, and the things you should do as a business to cope with the latest marketing trends.
Four Factors That are Driving Consumer Interests
People and businesses around the world have opened up to the fact that COVID-19 is no more a ‘come and go’ affair. It is here to stay. Hence, they are learning to live with it.
With social distancing norms emerging as a way of life, it’s better not to expect customer interaction in the way it used to be in the recent past. Let’s look at what the new world looks like, so you can work out the post-COVID marketing plan accordingly.
1. Consumers are Showing Protectionist Tendencies
With the pandemic seriously affecting earnings in many parts around the globe, and the future not looking too promising either, consumers are shunning luxury for value.
Hence, to catch the fancy of today’s customers, you must devise a plan that focuses more on driving value than as discretionary and soul-satisfying spending. Show them how they can intertwine your products or services with their lives to improve the ease of living.
InVideo.io made a post about the real estate marketing ideas to see how you can prepare yourself to emerge stronger after the pandemic.
2. Consumers are Going Digital
Till recently, marketing through digital channels was a distant cousin to in-shop marketing. The pandemic has changed everything. It has redefined the way people approach a product or service and purchase it.
Today’s consumers are showing a visible tendency to remain in the online mode even when the markets reopen. In places, such as the US, the UK, and India, where the market has partially reopened, the signs of an immediate revival in the business of brick-and-mortar stores are bleak.
Hence, if your business has an online presence, the time is ripe for you to enhance its reach even further. Now is the best time to revive or launch and deploy social media marketing strategies.
Business is where customers are. As customer habits change, be nimble enough to anticipate the change and go where your customers are.
As delivery businesses are gradually adopting the concept of home and point-to-point delivery, you may think of ways to capture this population.No doubt, by aligning your goals with the interests of your customers, you can expect an increase in your bottom line.
3. Brand Loyalty is a Thing of the Past
The pandemic affected the supply chain the most. As lockdowns and allied factors kept transportation on the tenter-hooks, consumers moved from choicest brands to brands that were available and seemed to be the most convenient choice.
While this has spelled doom for businesses that have a sizeable presence in the market, it can be a boon in disguise for local businesses.
As a business trying to augment the output post the pandemic, you may utilize this opportunity to expand your local network by tying up with businesses or foraying into an area that has been relatively unaffected by large-scale disruptions.
Under the changed circumstances, it is prudent to assume that brand loyalty will take a backseat while value-creation, convenience, and cost-efficiency will occupy the center stage.
4. Consumers Prefer Brands That Undertake Proper Safety Procedures
The pandemic has left most people around the world in a state of awe and shock. They are still trying to figure out the full impact of the pandemic and staring at an uncertain future.
The rising desperation to stay safe has prompted consumers to opt for brick-and-mortar shops that are clean, sanitized, and safe. Similarly, they are showing an inclination towards products that are following safe and secure manufacturing protocols.
Hence, to stay ahead in the race, you must show the customers how much you care for them. Show them the safety protocols your business is undertaking to make your products a hundred percent safe. Once your customers recognize your additional efforts, you can claim ever-lasting loyalty from them.
Two Tips to Transform Your Marketing Plan Post the Pandemic
Now that you have identified the way consumer behavior is changing, it’s time to know the things you can do to gain leverage in the post-pandemic market.
1. Reduce Dependence on Traditional Marketing and Increase the Digital Spend
Take a look at the latest trends, and you will observe that markets that have opened themselves up after a series of restrictions are still reeling from customer shortage. The situation will take more time to improve than anyone can imagine.
As people prefer spending more time at home, this can be a nice opportunity for you to target them through social media. It’s no wonder that networking websites like Facebook, Instagram, and the likes, have registered massive growth in user registrations during the pandemic.
Videos are driving growth, and businesses are waking up to the fact that video marketing is the future. By upgrading your video marketing strategy and targeting your customers when they are at home, you can expect a higher conversion rate when things return to normalcy.
Check this informative blog post to know how to make a video presentation and design videos that are value-driving, cost-effective, and attractive.
2. Support Your Customers More Than Ever Before
As consumers face unprecedented hardships, you can use this moment of crisis to offer them something extra. It can be a free trial, free education, or anything out of the box that will turn heads. As crisis often leads to depression, position your brand in a way that will make their life a little easier.
While COVID-19 has upturned existing marketing conventions, it has given birth to a new set of techniques; one that banks more on empathy than anything else. The internet has made it possible to reach homes that were so far unpenetrable.
Use the power of the internet to educate consumers, the best ways to live through the crisis come back stronger. Share success stories and testimonials of customers who were facing hardships and how your product has made life easier for them. Once they relate with the stories you share, marketing will become easier than it ever was
Conclusion
Desperate times call for unique measures. If you wish to gain traction in the post-pandemic world, the time is now to upgrade your marketing strategy.