Pandemic marketing lessons that are here to stay
We have learned many marketing lessons during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are four key strategies that are likely to remain.
1. Social distancing … is the new norm
Work from home, shop from home, do pretty much everything from home. It is a pre-pandemic trend that accelerated dramatically during lockdowns. Are we all more introverted than we thought? Whatever the case, we’ve become more comfortable with digital life. Not only digital shopping but attending virtual meetings and online conferences, taking continuing education courses, working from home – you name it. Doing it online has become the new norm.
Clients have become accustomed to the time and location freedom provided by online transactions. So, keep developing tools that ease digital communication. Also, leverage customer relationship management (CRM) technology to obtain good digital intel on your contacts, as you may have fewer opportunities for in-person face time in the future.
2. Temperature checks … for your clients
We’re not talking about taking the temperature of your clients’ foreheads. We’re suggesting you take the “temperature” of your clients with surveys and conversations.
As business moves online, what you lose in face time you can more than make up for with “digital” time. By leveraging email, social media, webinars and virtual meetings, you can more efficiently manage your day.
You can survey clients formally via digital survey tools or informally during meetings by simply asking them what they want.
Surveys can address broad issues such as client satisfaction or target more specific areas of your business. It’s also valuable to capture information shared in informal conversations. These talks can sometimes bring nuance or a different answer than surveys alone. The insights you glean can help you develop an updated, or more highly refined, marketing strategy.
3. Clean and disinfect … your marketing strategy
To remain successful, marketing teams had to re-examine their marketing strategies in 2020 and 2021. While stressful and time consuming, most firms benefited from the changes. Some even reimagined or refined who they are.
Events weren’t cancelled, they went online. Print materials went digital. Digital became more interactive. Marketing teams became more selective about where, when and how they advertised.
Read more on B2B marketing trends.
4. Monitor your health … your marketing health that is
Going digital makes everything trackable. That’s not news. But it’s vital to embrace it like you will embrace your friends when lockdowns end.
Track data and use Google analytics to measure interest and key performance indicators. And then measure your success.
Having data at your fingertips will help you identify what’s working and what’s not, and adjust your plans accordingly. Most importantly, you can see when something is going right and lean into that success going forward.
Looking to take your marketing out of a creative lockdown? Ext. Marketing has the expertise you need. Contact us today at info@ext-marketing.com or 1.844.243.1830.