The global pandemic and its effects on the economy, businesses, and communities have been widespread and deeply impactful. For marketers it’s been an exceptionally unique and challenging time as many have had to quickly halt or pivot from their previously intended 2020 strategies.
In fact, in a recent survey conducted by AMA and Kantar found that 56% of marketers had already reduced their marketing budget in response to the on-going effects of the pandemic.
As we head into the second half of the year, marketers continue to find themselves faced with the challenge of adapting their strategies into a manner that’s relevant to consumers, budget friendly, and above all, effective.
While the future remains largely uncertain, reevaluating your efforts to match the current landscape will allow you to proactively forge ahead in your marketing goals. If you’re unsure about where to begin during these unprecedented times, consider these tips as a helpful guideline for getting started.
Market with Intent
To successfully gain the attention of customers, marketers should continue to be empathetic in their outreach approach. Messaging that comes across as insensitive or tone-deaf to current events will likely cause your customer to ignore or dismiss your engagement efforts altogether. To help reduce this type of reaction it’s imperative that you take time to focus on your customer and their direct needs. By remaining cognitive of what’s important to your customer you’ll be able to better identify the type of communication messages that will resonate best.
Build trust. Remember, when customers feel connected to a brand, more than half (57%) are willing to increase their spending with that brand. Not only that, but 76% of consumers choose to purchase from a brand they connect with over a competitor. Now more than ever, the marketing and communication efforts from companies play a critical role in establishing a relationship that consumers perceive as both authentic and trustworthy.
Optimize the User Experience
When the pandemic first began, we saw a natural rise in ecommerce consumer behavior as many brick- and-mortar locations were forced to temporarily close. Impressively enough though, within the month of April, U.S. retailers reported that online revenue growth was up by 68%.
Although businesses across the country are slowly starting to reopen their doors, many consumers are still hesitant about in person activities such as shopping. A recent study conducted by Morning Consult found that 24% of consumers said they wouldn’t feel comfortable shopping in a mall for more than six months. As online shopping continues to remain a preferred transactional method among consumers, it’s important for marketers to ensure that their website serves as an effective resource.
If you’re unsure about whether or not your website could use some refreshing, consider the use of a heat map tracking tool such as Hotjar to analyze the online behavior of your customers when they visit your site.
Knowing how customers are currently interacting with your website, including which pages they visit, where they click, and how far they scroll will allow you to easily identify where you can make site adjustments to ensure that your user experience is both seamless and enjoyable.
Provide Relevant Content
An effective way for marketers to connect with customers is through content development. Whether it’s done through blog posts, resource guides, activity lists, webinars, or podcasts, you should aim to provide information that speaks directly to your customers’ needs and interests.
Even if the current landscape has altered the current purchasing needs of your customers, providing resources that are relevant, informative and engaging can help foster online conversations, build trust, and ultimately drive engagement.
Not only is user-generated content a cost-effective way to provide value to your current customers, but it also serves as an opportunity to expand your outreach so that new or prospective customers can easily learn more about your business. Remember the key to successful content is to be viewed as an authentic resource for information.
While we can’t predict what the future holds, staying on top of current events and its direct impact on consumer behavior will allow marketers to identify ways in which they can strategically adapt their marketing efforts and remain relevant to customers’ needs.