Finally, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel in the current pandemic crisis. We don’t know how long it will take for everything to reopen. But there will come a time when we can crawl out of hibernation, stretch our limbs, and freely go out and do the all things we love to do. We’ll be able to go to gatherings with friends and family; watch our favorite team play ball; and travel to our hearts’ content. You’ve probably been dreaming about it for weeks now. You know exactly the first place you’ll visit when we all get the go-ahead.
And how about your brand? Do you have a solid idea of what the state of business will be once the world returns to some semblance of normalcy? If your company has had to shut down temporarily, you may need to start making preparations for when you can open back up. Even if you’ve been staying alive virtually, you might have to tweak a few things to adjust. In any case, you’ll need to be ready for how consumer behavior has changed in the wake of the lockdown. Now is the time to begin preparing for how your business will look. Here are some marketing goals to keep in mind as you consider the post-COVID-19 consumer.
1. Focus on Your Customers’ Needs
Marketing is all about showing your audience how your brand can meet their needs best. This is a good time to stop and remember who your audience is. How will they have changed when all is said and done? Follow your demographic on social media. Take note of the new vocabulary they’re using. (Remember when no one had heard the term “social distancing” before?) Find out what is important to them and highlight that aspect of your brand.
2. Prepare for the Continuation of More Online Business
Living and doing business in the 21st century, you already know the importance of the internet in commerce. Even if your company is centered around services rather than goods, many people prefer to set up appointments online. Up until now, there have been plenty of holdouts who always preferred face-to-face business and interaction. Thanks to the mass quarantine and stay-at-home orders faced during the crisis, many of those die-hards have had no choice but to convert their business to the world wide web. And as hard as it might have been for them to change in the first place, it might be just as hard to change back. What does this mean for your marketing team? More online advertising and website promotion. Embed CTAs in emails and on home pages and landing pages to make shopping easier for the customer.
3. Take Advantage of COVID-Related SEO
Many people will continue to obsess over this coronavirus after the immediate concern has passed. Studies have shown that people involved in disastrous events continue to worry about them or prepare for similar events for years after they take place. And the more they are affected, the longer they think about it. That means that once restrictions have been lifted, the words “CoViD-19” and “coronavirus” will not suddenly disappear. Quite the contrary. Many people have taken their extra free time to check in with the news daily and might have a regular step in the day of looking for coronavirus news. Using such terms in your SEO could put your content higher in hit results.
4. Analyze Your Company’s Priorities
No matter what business you are in, chances are the re-opening of the country’s economy will mean increased business. While this is an exciting prospect, it’s one you need to be ready for. Your company might receive a sudden mad dash of shoppers or clients. Such a spike in business can leave little time for thinking, so planning will be essential. Do what you can before the mad rush. Schedule promotions and ads to run automatically, if possible. This will save you thinking time and possibly hasty work when you’re busy.
There’s been a major shift in our world, and things might never be exactly the same. The way we market to the customer will have to change as much as they themselves are changing. But the bottom line stays the same: How does your brand meet their need?
