How to do Marketing during COVID

1. How to do Marketing during COVID? The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected every aspect of our lives, including Marketing. Even if your business doesn’t belong to health sector, you are most likely to incorporate the pandemic into your content and everyday messaging. You must be trying to figure out how to stay relevant while also appropriate during such an unprecedented time. According to a SHRM study, 62% of small businesses have said that they experienced a decrease in revenue since the start of COVID. To handle this change in cash flow, you might find yourself to change up other processes for the time being which includes your Marketing Strategies. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, some companies have cut back either on their marketing or on their entire marketing team, while others are becoming more agile and coming up with interesting ways of engaging their audience during these difficult times. If you intend to stay in business, you cannot stay idle for long. Being conservative might feel like the safe choice when there’s uncertainty about how long will this crisis last. There is a need to balance financial responsibility with the need to keep the consumers informed and engaged. So how will you continue with Marketing during these difficult times? Marketing done by Marketing Agency in Pune during current scenario will require sensitivity about what’s going on everyone’s lives and the flexibility to keep up with everything that is happening. So below are the points to take into account – •Begin with Empathy Businesses should begin with empathy. Marketers can take correct action by consumer understanding. Many companies have their Voice of Customer and research programs—that can be leveraged at this time to uncover the underlying emotions of people’s behaviors. Doubling down on customer engagement and listening programs can help provide insights on how to best move forward. •Be sensitive COVID-19 has impacted people on a personal level world-wide. So there is a risk of inadvertently coming off as insensitive or exploitative is higher than ever right now. And with social media communication at a peak, one small mistake could mean far-reaching and long-term consequences for you. Make sure that you are communicating appropriately during the COVID-19 outbreak. •Better too serious than sorry It’s common for brands to keep a effective conversational tone, it’s best to steer clear of using humor or wit to accomplish that right now. Even, being overly casual can be off-putting. The content that you post

2. may not be as colorful or aligned with your brand personality, but it’s better to be more serious than you want to be than to be sorrier than you can express. •Get Creative When it comes to marketing during Coronavirus, it’s better to be more creative. Have a unique way to market the products or services makes you stand out from your competitors. So what will be the answer to question How can I take my marketing up a level while dealing with the Coronavirus? For starters, promoting unique offerings like DIY kits and Care Packages which will result to get customers flying through your doors. Offering virtual options to customers who include online classes, meetings and showcases. Whichever creative route you decide to take, make sure that customer can have fun with it. Arrange a brainstorming session about what can attract customers and make them want to spend their hard- earned cash during these trying times. •There’s a right way to make light of the situation Being more serious doesn’t necessarily mean somber. Stressing on the bright side can help in many ways, just make sure to know the difference between positivity and humor and between being uplifting vs. dismissive of the situation. • Tell relevant and authentic stories Many brands have produced more compelling campaigns which speak to the realities of this pandemic. For example, creating a spot shining a light about the courage of health care workers. Focusing on social distancing protocols and encourages people to do their part by staying home. Sam’s Club has created a 60-second spot thanking its employees and calling them “retail heroes.” Every organization and person contributes in their own way. The most important question companies should focus on is: “what can I do to help?” • Check for insensitive words Never use overt puns. Keep track of several words and phrases that prior to COVID-19 were completely harmless. Examples include: 1.Killer (killer deal) 2.Contagious (“how to create contagious content”) 3.Health or checkup-related terms (“give your budget a pulse check”) 4.Spread 5.Contagious, Infectious, Viral 6.Gathering or an Event

3. • Take a neutral or supportive stance If your operating business is relevant, be careful with your positioning. Marketing Agency in Pune is reaching out to businesses to take a position not of helping businesses to "capitalize" on the current times, but rather of helping them to make themselves as visible/accessible as possible right now to those who need them. 1.Words to Use: “contribute,” “connect,” “play a role,” “navigate,” “cope,” “respond” 2.Words not use:“capitalize,” “advantage,” “offer,” “gain,” “profit” 3.Be careful with: “opportunity,” “make the most” • Building Relationships Virtually Building relationships is important thing that can be easier said than done, especially when you are trying to build it online versus in-person. If you wish to market your business amidst the Coronavirus, you need to embrace on building and strengthening the relationships with customers online. In order to strengthen relationships with customers, you need to put yourself in their shoes. What do you want to see and hear from any businesses? How do you feel when you see one of your businesses marketing ads?

4. It is necessary to keep a flow of open, honest and considerate communications. If you currently didn’t have a regular rhythm of communication with your customers, this is the good time to start (think email marketing campaigns). • Think contribution, not conversion If you full under one of the less or non-essential businesses w.r.t. COVID-19, there are still many ways to stay relevant. Your motive here shouldn’t be to get extra business rather to continue offering value to your audience. People are constantly trying to stay afloat right now, so make sure to think of contribution, not conversion. • Be agile for the new normal No matter how long the crisis might lasts, COVID-19 is forever going to change the consumer landscape. After all of this, companies won’t go back to their old methods. Personas, messaging and even the product strategy will necessarily be needed to evolve for the realities of the post-COVID-19 market. • Use credible COVID-19 sources Effective copywriting importantly provides information while delivering a greater message. Your intended message should be - “I am here to help you,” but if your information is not correct, this is not the message that will come through. At best it can say “I’m careless,” and at worst, “I can’t be trusted.” There is a lot of wrong information about the Coronavirus everywhere, so it is necessary to make sure you to get your facts straight when you are copywriting—most importantly for social media captions or ad sharing. In Conclusion, The bottom line is, fresh data and correct insights have never been more important. In these unexplored territory, relying on instincts alone can be dangerous. If you haven’t reached out to your customers in the last couple of weeks, now is the time to do so. While it’s necessary to recognize the uncertainties and fears surrounding COVID-19, don’t let this crisis paralyze you. Enabling your team to fully understand your customers and acting on the basis of timely insights is the key to navigating your way through the crisis, both for your marketing team and your company.