Brand and marketing in the time of Coronavirus
“The pandemic will scan and reveal the hidden structure of brands and people will surely remember them once this is over. The ones that pass this test successfully are the ones who will sit in people’s hearts forever, and no doubt that this will work to influence the philosophy of future brands too.”
The world has changed. Losing 80% of your revenue is the new normal for the majority. We are operating in a reality that is unlikely to return to what it was just a few weeks ago. The coronavirus pandemic has already left its mark on society and the coming months will likely mark a historic turning point in both the way brands operate and the way in which they market themselves.
No one can predict what will come next. There is no playbook for this. And uncertainty is arguably the biggest challenge business owners are facing right now – amidst concerns around their employees, customers and cash flow, businesses are starting to question what this new normal will look like.
While it may feel impossible to plan for an undetermined future, we must remember that, in reality, the future is never predetermined. And, what we can do is build strong foundations that will weather any storm. We must learn, as business leaders, to rise out of hard times.
Brands have taken on more of a leading role in people’s lives in recent years, a change that’s taken place largely thanks to social media — 78% of consumers want brands to use social to help people connect with each other. But whilst it’s good that brands can become an important part of their followers’ lives, with that benefit comes huge responsibility. Brands must have a better understanding of their people and the things they care about.
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We’ve spoken to marketers and brand owners, and scoured the internet for the most valuable and practical advice for businesses. There are two key stages businesses need to be thinking about right now:
What to do immediately?
What to do post-pandemic?
This is a two-part article. This first part focusses on how to manage your brand now. The second part, ‘What’s Next? Brand & Marketing Post-Pandemic’, can be found here.
Things are changing daily — how can brands adapt their marketing now?
Brand and marketing may seem a minor problem when we’re facing a worldwide pandemic but that’s not to say it shouldn’t be talked about. Consumer behaviour, supply logistics and public expectations have changed, and will continue to change. Brands must learn to adapt in order to survive.
This doesn’t mean just figuring out how to sell more. It means thinking long-term, understanding what makes a great brand and stepping up to the role brand can play in supporting their communities and each other through these difficult times. What can you be doing right now?
Marketing during the COVID-19 pandemic
“How do I maintain relationships with my customers at times like this?”
The question all business owners and marketers will be asking themselves. One thing to remember is, going silent is not the answer. It’s never the answer.
We know that most brands are in no position to give all of their resources away for free, no matter how much they might want to. There are staff to pay, outgoings to cover and the future to think about. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t help in small ways and help your business at the same time.
It’s no secret that many brands are going to struggle for a while and look to reduce budgets where possible. And with a recession almost inevitable, there will likely be an increase in annual business deaths. So how do we prevent as much of that as possible? We need to get creative. We need to do more with less. And who said that’s a bad thing? As Becky and Huw, the duo that run Paynter Jacket, point out: constraints can be a good thing.
Surviving the current situation is likely to be one of the biggest challenges many brands will face in their entire lifetime. But as Mark Ritson rightly points out…
“The coronavirus crisis will test us all, but marketers need to think long-term and keep building their brands, protecting their staff and honouring their values.”
What to do with your marketing right now…
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Be resourceful
Now is the time to put that creative, entrepreneurial spirit to work. Yes, we don’t have all the things we’re used to, but does that really mean we have to stop doing what we do best? No, we just need to think differently. It’s back to basics and it can be done beautifully: Make Home Count.
Give people a call and collaborate.
Create content on your phone or via Zoom.
Try things you would never dream of normally.
Think back to a time when it wasn’t possible to order everything you needed with the click of a button and get creative with what you have.
Get your community involved.
Good marketing is the harmony of idea and execution. That doesn’t imply big budgets or neverending resources. A great idea, when executed well and authentically, will speak for itself.
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Change your messages
Simply ignoring what’s going on and pushing the same sales messages out into the world is not what people need right now. Empathise with your audience and put yourself in their shoes. Be clear. People will be wondering if certain businesses are still in operation so letting your customers know you’re still there is fundamental.
Most importantly, listen. Don’t just tell people what you want them to hear, think about what they need to hear.
Do they need to know that you’re still open for business?
Should they be aware that you’re discounting your prices to make your services more accessible?
Should they know that there are delays but you’re doing everything you can?
Should they know that you’re closing temporarily and you’re going to start a newsletter to keep in touch?
Be mindful of virtue signalling. Feel-good content that aims to lift spirits and promote positive messaging will help your brand, but only if done in a real and honest way. Make sure any claims you make around supporting others during these times are material not just for commercial benefit. Practice what you preach.
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Adapt your services
The world is different which means brands need to think differently. People’s behaviours, priorities and pain points have changed, brands will need to adapt quickly in order to remain relevant in the eyes of their customers. Perhaps most importantly, they will need to learn to listen to what their communities are dealing with. The brands that are able to solve the pain points people are facing will thrive.
We’ve already seen a number of restaurants quickly turn to online delivery systems and gin distilleries transforming into sanitiser production lines (in great style we have to add), work out what you can do that’s relevant to the current situation and do it, quickly.
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Become a VALUABLE resource
Everyone has been affected by coronavirus in one way or another. Becoming a valuable resource during these times can build brand strength. The important thing to remember is there are a lot of resource platforms already out there, make sure you are only sharing the best of the best around a niche topic that’s relevant to your brand. Whether that’s legal advice for small businesses or homeschooling techniques for parents, if you’re going to do it do it well.
We built our own resource as a way of bringing helpful and inspiring information together for business owners and brand builders. View our shared resource sheet.
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Reconsider your channels
Studies have found that Coronavirus has sparked a huge jump in social media use. All social apps have reported an increase in usage and engagement. Given that we’re all indoors, looking for ways to stay connected to the outside world at the moment, this doesn’t come as much of a surprise.
What is surprising is the number of brands cutting back and disappearing from their customers’ lives entirely. A move that could hurt them considerably in the future when they have to compete with those who have ‘been there through thick and thin’.
If you want to connect with your audience, the data would suggest social media is the place to do it. If you’re pulling back marketing budgets from events or physical channels, it would be wise to reallocate those budgets to online activity instead – with fewer advertisers in the market it could prove to be a great opportunity to boost brand awareness and help to lessen the impact of the pandemic in the long run.
If you’re wondering how to go about staying active on social media, this should help: social media in times of crisis.
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Stay reactive
For any social-first brand this is a given generally, but at the moment it applies to everyone. Each day brings new updates and concerns, brands must appreciate the situation and not keep scheduling content weeks in advance that will be out of date by the time it goes live.
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Invest in simple but effective ideas
The key to success during these times is not to cut all marketing. The key is to get creative and focus on what will drive the best results for relatively low cost. Some examples:
Build a newsletter — email marketing can transform your business
Start building your personal brand on LinkedIn
Launch a customer referral program
Make yourself newsworthy
Join in on industry discussions
Find ways to help your customers even if it requires a bit of a pivot away from your usual services
Collaborate with other brands
Collaborate with your community
If you find new ways to communicate and express yourself, if done well and with empathy, you will be remembered by your customers.
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Refocus
It takes strength, there’s no denying that. When things are tough and the situation open ended, feeling ready to give up is not unusual. But is that the determined spirit that got you where you are now? We are at a point where what we do now could determine our success in the future. Action is key.
Are there things we should be doing that we’re not? Improving our website, improving our branding, evaluating digital marketing success?
Are there channels we should be making the most of?
Are there things we should stop doing or scale back?
The key is to sharpen focus and be ruthless about what’s working and what’s not.
If things are quiet, use this time to reevaluate where you are now and where you want to be in the future. Have your goals changed since you started your business? Is the way you’re operating going to ensure you achieve those goals? Whether you get outside help or you do this alone, evaluating your journey and using your learnings to plan for the future is a valuable use of any downtime.
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Double down on digital
Not only is an online presence the only way to do business during these times, people are also more likely to judge quality based on brand perception online.
Offer an online version of your services — a client of ours has done this by offering Online Workstation Assessments
Make sure your online presence is as good as it possibly can be
Take budgets from physical marketing plans and use them on digital channels
Run free webinars for your community, teach useful things
Involve your community in your marketing, if you’re a small business it’s likely they’ll want to help you survive
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Build Your brand
“The only sensible course for any advertiser who wants to maintain a presence through this recession…is to be putting money into long-term brand building.”
Back in June 2019, renowned author, strategist and marketing consultant Peter Field – during a Brand Building in the Digital Age talk – warned, “One of the big issues we all face today is the demise of brand building. It has become disrespected as more marketers become obsessed with short-term results.”
In our opinion, Peter Field was spot on. This pandemic has shone a spotlight the importance of long-term thinking and brand strength when short-term results are simply not possible.
