Whether it’s running paid advertisements or devising a social media strategy, multiple marketing activities need to be planned and executed in a business. In addition, with the changing times, it has become important for brands to look at themselves beyond product/service providers and resonate with the situation in their immediate environment (location). Hence, a brand’s digital and traditional marketing strategies during the pandemic must be different from the digital and traditional marketing strategies they adopted before the pandemic in terms of marketing messages, platforms used, etc.
In this blog, we’ve discussed the aspects brands must keep in mind while they’re promoting their offerings during a pandemic. Read on to know how brands should formulate their marketing strategies during the pandemic.
Carefully select the marketing channels
During the pandemic, since people are confined to their homes, or have limited their travelling, brands should opt for only those platforms for marketing purposes that reach their audience. For example, Digital Marketing, Newspaper advertising, TV advertising and social media marketing techniques are the common marketing strategies that can be adopted by brands during the pandemic, in contrast to billboards or other outdoor marketing strategies that were more common before the pandemic.
Add a human touch to your marketing messages
Amidst such sensitive times, adding a human touch to your marketing messages help brands connect better with their audience. Avoid only posting promotional posts and focus on the audience’s sentiments. For example, through social media marketing efforts, Zomato encourages people to ‘’stay in, stay safe’’.
Shift from offline to online marketing techniques
With the changing times, people stay indoors more often due to the coronavirus outbreak across the globe. In such a scenario, shifting from offline to online marketing techniques will help brands target their audience more efficiently than offline methods like billboards, hoardings, etc.
Keep a positive tone of voice
Everyone is going through this tough time during a crisis. Hence, a brand's marketing communications should have a positive tone of voice. Avoid negativity and don’t use dark words to describe the pandemic. Rather, focus on the sense of hope and how people can support each other during challenging times.
Communication that gives Hope
“This too shall pass” is a popular saying. Hence, launching campaigns that instill hope and positivity amongst the brand’s audience will help create a positive brand image. Unexpected messages of hope, positivity, optimism and kindness, surprise the audience, help in creating brand recall and make the audience remember the brand for their out-of-the-box communication.
“Help” campaigns
Campaigns aimed to extend support to the masses during such times help brands communicate their values and, from a marketing point of view, position themselves as a people’s brand amidst COVID-19. For example, Fundraisers, Food distribution, Warm clothes distribution, and many such campaigns help add to the brand value.
Build relationships
While marketing your brand, focus on building genuine relationships with your customers and showing that you care. You can build relationships virtually through techniques like online sessions and responding to your audience’s comments on social media platforms, etc. For example, a nutritionist can conduct free online sessions to help educate their target audience about how they should work on their immunity by improving their diet in such times.
Provide health and safety advice
Brands can provide health and safety advice relevant to their industry during the pandemic. For example, a F&B brand may provide tips on safe eating habits, how to wash vegetables and fruits before cooking, etc., during the pandemic. These tips help the audience connect with brands.
Conclusion
You will be portrayed as a humane brand by ensuring that you adopt an effective marketing strategy amidst the COVID-19 crisis.
Let’s Build Brands is a marketing agency in New Delhi helping brands select and use the most appropriate marketing strategies for their business. If you wish to learn more about the services offered by Let’s Build Brands Media, head over to this page.