How to Adapt Your Marketing Strategy During the Coronavirus Pandemic

It's been several months since coronavirus came along and turned everything upside down.

There is surely no one on earth that has been untouched by the pandemic in some way. Thousands of small businesses are suffering, and many have collapsed entirely. On the other hand, some industries, like streaming services and delivery companies, have seen a rise in their customer base.

Although the results have been devastating, the current situation nevertheless presents some opportunities for struggling businesses. With many companies on hold while we wait for the lockdown to end, marketing is more important than ever. Companies must ensure they maintain brand awareness and retain their customer base for when things start going back to normal.

With such an unprecedented global event, your marketing strategy will have to change. Marketing must always adapt to new technologies, demands, and trends, and coronavirus is the most significant event most of us have ever seen. So how can you adjust your marketing strategy to meet the current global changes?

Be Selfless

We've seen loads of heartwarming news stories about companies assisting in the global war on COVID-19 or offering free services to healthcare workers. It's no time to be selfish. We all want to do what we can to ensure things go back to normal with as minimal consequences as possible. Consider doing your bit as a company to help wherever you can. Whether it's giving away free services or providing education for customers to help them through this difficult time, how you can contribute depends on the nature of your business. Being generous is inherently good for its own sake, but it is also mutually beneficial. Goodwill from companies can be a fantastic bit of marketing, as people will remember your good deeds when they begin to spend money again.

Adapt your Content to the Circumstances

Any successful business adapts its marketing strategy to the current situation. Whether it's Christmas, election time, or World Cup season, you will see thousands of companies referring to it in their marketing. Coronavirus is at the forefront of everyone's minds, so there is no point continuing with marketing as usual. Use your social media posts, blog articles, and advertising to show your clientele how you can specifically help them in the current global context. Be advised; it is a sensitive topic, so you should approach it with care and respect.

Leverage Higher Clicks

Everyone is stuck at home right now, which can be stressful. But it means people are spending more time online. Make the most of it through your online marketing strategy. Paid advertising is cheap and a great way to leverage the recent drive in web traffic to put more eyes on your brand. With smaller businesses struggling to make money, it means there will also be less competition for online advertising space.

Educate

One of the few silver linings we have seen as a result of the coronavirus pandemic is people using their free time to better themselves. Many have turned to baking, gardening, or writing novels as a creative outlet. Others have decided to enhance their knowledge. Taking online courses is a great way to leverage this spare time to increase your career prospects, improve your resume, or learn more about a topic of choice. You can take free courses in languages, business, accounting, and anything else you can think of. 

If your company isn't taking much business at the moment, consider how you could benefit your customer base through education. Here are some ideas:

• If you're an accountancy firm, hold an online course to help self-employed people manage their finances. 
• If you're a digital marketing agency, offer advice to struggling businesses about how to increase their online revenue. 
• If you're a construction firm, give tutorials on how to do DIY projects at home. 
• If you're a university, give students and prospective students free learning resources or application advice. 

The possibilities are endless. You could write educational ebooks and articles, or even hold live webinars and courses. Selling these resources can be a great new way for your business to generate some additional revenue.

Plan for the Future

If you're in lockdown, chances are you have more free time on your hands than usual. You can finally get round to all those tasks you have been putting off. Make the most of this time by creating a long term plan for your marketing strategy. The crisis will come to an end, and you want to ensure that you are prepared to get up and running as soon as it does.

Do you have any tips for marketing throughout the current situation? Share your ideas in the comments.