DEVELOPING AN INTERIM STRATEGY
This is a difficult time for everyone, and for you, a difficult decision: marketing during a crisis. How should you do it? Should you at all?
All that time you spent on your marketing strategy – well, it’s useless now. Was that too harsh? Okay, I’m sorry. It won’t be useful for a while. Better?
It’s time to pivot, and quickly. This pandemic has changed everything, and your marketing needs to change with it.
Strategy: Where To Start
Begin by determining what your business goals are today and how they have changed. If you had to adjust your business model to the current climate, you need to update your audience. If you’re offering the same services, it’s a good idea to announce that as well. More than ever, your marketing content needs to be reflective of where your business is.
Marketing Content: Timely Or Timeless?
Next, determine how much you want to “lean in” to what’s happening. Time-sensitive marketing has real value – relevant content can bring you into conversations that are already occurring. On the other hand, content that is timeless will bring you traffic now AND down the road. At Pixaura, we recommend you use both types of content.
(Side note: the COVID crisis prompted this post. It will not be the only event that necessitates analyzing and adjusting your marketing strategy. Bad news will continue to come, and it’s important to remember that even if your business wasn’t directly affected, your audience almost certainly was.)
Your Audience: Find Them
Speaking of your audience, who are they? Where are they? People are online more than ever, but they are behaving in different ways. You may even discover brand new eyes on your content – what led them to you now? As always, it’s necessary to adjust your marketing strategy in order to reach your target audience.
Finally, determine what you want actions you want this audience to take. Is your marketing now informational, or still conversion-driven? Set short-term goals that are realistic and measurable, and ensure your content is congruent.
Be Visible: Don’t Disappear
Regardless of the changes to your strategy, keep marketing! Studies have shown that “going dark,” even during a crisis, results in a significant decline in brand awareness. Keep interacting, keep pushing out new content, keep building your reputation. Be authentic and empathetic while maintaining your brand’s tone and perspective.
How PIXAURA Can Help
We’ve spent years in the digital marketing field, and can help you with developing your strategy, both in times of normalcy and times of crisis. We use SEO, Google Ads, social media and website design to build your brand exposure and score you more leads, sales, and traffic. Reach out to us today if your business needs assistance navigating their marketing during a crisis – or anytime else!