As marketers, we all had fantastic plans for 2020. So many campaigns to execute, so much energy and excitement around it all. But, unfortunately, even the best-laid plans have to be retooled and, often, scrapped.
If you’re still rethinking your messaging strategies to successfully take your brand through the COVID-19 crisis, you’re not alone. Even the world’s biggest brands are wrestling with the same questions: What now? And what’s next?
Here at Wick Marketing, we know a good checklist can guide both the work and the process, especially when times get intense and the demands overwhelming. So, here are five key strategies to help you refocus and move forward in our current reality.
1. Don’t panic.
There’s plenty to worry about, but, when it comes to marketing, it helps to remember you know what you’re doing. Marketing is still marketing. It’s true none of us has dealt with anything quite like this before, but you’ve solved marketing challenges before, and you’ll solve this one too. Apply what you know. Think things all the way through. Bring in your best collaborators, and take one step at a time.
2. Plan before you speak about the COVID-19 crisis in any way.
Addressing coronavirus as a brand continues to be tricky. It’s important to communicate changes in your operations that directly affect customers and clients, but it’s wise to carefully strategize the messaging, timing and context at every phase. Make doubly sure that these coronavirus-related communications go through the proper review and approval processes before publishing or posting. People are understandably very sensitive right now, and it’s not the time to put your brand at risk with a poorly considered Tweet.
3. If you haven’t already, review and update existing content.
For the foreseeable future, most new photo and video shoots will be limited. That said, creatives working from home can update and refresh existing content assets with the current environment in mind. This can keep your marketing cadence going as you figure out next steps and what’s feasible in terms of executing new campaigns. Don’t miss the step of reviewing messaging or imagery already in market that could be insensitive in our current reality. Certain types of content (especially pre-COVID-10 humor) may not play well right now, even if the copy or visuals were completely acceptable just a couple months ago.
4. Keep things positive and genuine.
Connect with your audiences on a deeper level by sharing some of your own positive stories, personalizing your marketing automation efforts and empathizing with some of the lighter elements of your customers’ lives. In addition, find the positive brand stories you can tell. Research shows consumers will reward companies that are actively helping their communities.
5. Stay flexible.
These are unprecedented times. Life seems to be in slow motion, yet changes come fast. To be effective, marketers need to stay alert and nimble enough to respond to both circumstances and shifts in public perception. Pay attention to what other marketers are doing in your industry as well as other verticals. You might be surprised where inspiration strikes!
