It goes without saying that life is currently a bit difficult for most of us. From the smallest of children wondering why they can’t play with their friends, to the high school seniors who won’t get to participate in timeless traditions. From the stay-at-home and work-from-home parents doing everything they can to stay safe and sane, to the CEOs of the world’s top companies giving up their salaries to help feed their employees. From the smallest of local businesses to the most influential of brands. We’re all feeling the effects, directly or indirectly, that the current coronavirus pandemic has wrought upon the globe.
If you’re feeling anxious, worried, and uncertain, you’re probably working under the assumption that your target audience is too. They have bigger proverbial fish to fry at the moment. They don’t want to hear what your brand has to say, right? Why add to the chorus of voices, thoughts, and information coming at them from every angle?
Actually, you and your brand might be exactly what your audience needs right now.
People Are Still Consuming Content
Though it may feel like the world has stopped turning, you can rest assured that we’re still spinning away. People are still doing whatever they can to bring some sense of normalcy to their lives. They’re still consuming content, probably even more than usual now that most of us have more free time to fill. We know it feels weird—even a little taboo—to keep marketing your product or service at a time when people have much bigger things on their minds. But if you do it right, you might find that your product or service is exactly what they’re looking for to help put their thoughts at ease.
Timely, Updated Content is Vital
If you haven’t already done so, go through your current campaigns and pre-planned content to make sure you’re not promoting something insensitive or irrelevant. No one’s dining at restaurants or taking leisurely shopping trips, and many food and beverage employees are out of a job for the time being. Curbside takeout and online purchases are the current order of the day. You wouldn’t want to promote a dine-in special, for instance, or an in-store coupon for a local boutique. Many businesses have taken the initiative to produce and sell things relating to their businesses that are helpful to essential workers and those who have to make trips into public. Clothing sellers have started using their fabrics to sew masks; manufacturing companies have developed methods and products that are a great help to the healthcare industry. Ask yourself how your brand can help—whether that’s through a physical product or even just an interactive ad to help cure boredom—and act accordingly.
Turn Fear into Productive Energy
There are two things you shouldn’t do under any circumstance right now. The first is one is panic. We know there’s a lot of collective anxiety about the economy, from the overall impact of such a worldwide issue right down to the most unassuming individual. As a business owner or a marketing pro, you have every right to be fearful of what might happen. One of the best things you can do for yourself at this moment in time, however, is to harness that fear and turn it into productive energy. Focusing on a task is the perfect way to combat anxiety. Now is the time to focus on what your brand means to people. Concentrate on ways to stay top of mind with your audience. Get creative, keep communicating, and you’ll be able to push through to the other side instead of just crossing your fingers and hoping to survive. That brings us to our next point.
Complacent Is the Worst Thing to Be
The second thing you absolutely cannot do during this uncertain time is become complacent. Now is the time to be more creative than ever. Everything you do right now will most certainly impact your business a few months from now. As we stated above, your audience is still consuming content, and guess what. They’re bored. Give them something to do or think about! You’ll be the lowkey hero they never knew they always needed.
No matter what your content strategy is—whether your goal is to be helpful, entertaining, or thought-provoking—the most important thing is to keep on keepin’ on. Keep in touch with your audience. Let them know you’re still here to solve their pain points, even if those pain points have changed significantly in the last couple of months. If you’re floundering and need a hand figuring out how to stay relevant during a worldwide quarantine, contact us anytime. We’d be happy to help you adjust your marketing plan to suit your audience’s current needs.
