A lot of us have had to adjust to many new changes in our lives since the COVID virus became a devastating pandemic. We’ve had to social distance, use basic hygiene, self-isolate and ultimately put any social life or travel plans on hold. It’s been challenging but I think we can all agree we have managed. With barriers to face-to-face businesses, most businesses have been faced with problem after problem, and those lacking a digital marketing strategy have been hit the most (Marr, 2020). Below are 5 crucial things you should be doing to save your business and survive COVID 19.
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1. Number 1, the most important before you can think about anything else, is to redefine your businesses goals. With an entirely new market landscape brings new challenges, therefore, a reassessment of these objectives is key to ensure the marketing strategy aligns with them (Hall, 2020). This also includes channel specific objectives. Whilst deciding new goals, the motive behind the strategy must be visited in order to understand where your business stands in the market and how you will use this to increase in revenue and business.
2. ‘Communication is key’. This well-known saying seriously applies here. Communicating with customers, assisting them, being transparent and being responsive is a must for your digital marketing strategy. Building relationships and maintaining them will ensure your businesses success. In times like these it always pays to be empathetic, friendly and understanding. Responding quickly and effectively to customer enquiries or problems they may encounter will build trust and possible long-term relationships.
3. Improving customers digital experience: As more people are at home, either quarantined or self-isolating, there are more online users. People are spreading their word and sharing personal online experiences, highlighting the good and bad. Technology systems, IT operations and interactions must be easy to use. This includes usability through payment methods, product options and navigating through online sites. Businesses must also be on high alert for data security and scalability (Blackburn, LaBerge, O’Toole & Schneider, 2020). To encourage customer return websites should offer subscriptions and focus on email marketing.
4. Measuring! Analysing and measuring everything will offer your business “real-time data to support effective decision making” (Anderson, Caimi & Hoppe, 2020). By implementing data analytics and digital tools, businesses can track customer behaviour such as, what pages they are visiting and what keywords they are searching. They can also monitor KPI’s and performance strategies, track effectiveness, and ultimately have a better understanding of consumers. By gaining insights on customer needs and the best channels to reach customer your business can stay ahead of the game.
5. Use situation or scenario based planning. As businesses turn to digital strategies to survive they must remember this is no time to set anything in stone. Everything must remain flexible and allow for adaptability. Traditional methods and machine automated responses are no longer useful. “Human judgement is critically important”(Anderson, Caimi & Hoppe, 2020). With each situation being different with different circumstances, this must be taken into account.
As businesses shift to digital marketing it’s important to keep in mind that although this pandemic won’t last forever, these strategies will. Digital marketing is becoming the new normal and proves effective for so many companies worldwide. So, by keeping these strategies in mind when things return to normal, it could continue to benefit your company and allow for unforeseen circumstances in the future.
Anderson, J, Caimi, G and Hoppe, F 2020, ‘COVID-19: Building a Digital Bridge to the New Normal’, Bain & Company. <https://www.bain.com/insights/covid-19-building-a-digital-bridge-to-the-new-normal/>
Blackburn, S, LaBerge, L, O’Toole, C and Schneider, J 2020, ‘Digital strategy in a time of crisis’, Mckinsey & Company. <https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/digital-strategy-in-a-time-of-crisis>
Hall, N 2020, ‘Five key digital marketing strategies during Covid-19: Redefining and redeployment’, MarketingTech. <https://marketingtechnews.net/news/2020/apr/28/five-key-digital-marketing-strategies-during-covid-19-redefining-and-redeployment/>
Marr 2020, ‘Why Companies Turn To Digital Marketing To Survive COVID-19’, Forbes. <https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2020/03/20/why-companies-turn-to-digital-marketing-to-survive-covid-19/#32c443d62425>