6 Marketing Best Practices and Examples to Remember During COVID-19

Coronavirus has dramatically changed our lives in 2020. Most of us were locked up in our homes, not being able to do the things that we used to enjoy. Even our everyday lives have been affected, and some of us have to work remotely, as going to the office every day is posing a threat to our health.

Lots of businesses had to temporarily or even permanently close down, as they were losing customers and money. Companies had to tweak their marketing strategies, or else they face the risk of closing their businesses.

But every challenge is a new opportunity. COVID-19 not only changed the way businesses operate, but it also augmented the way they communicate with their audiences.

Marketing Best Practices to Remember During COVID-19

Knowing which marketing best practices to follow during the pandemic will help your business stay afloat. Tweaking your marketing strategies might not be an easy task, but you have to do it for the sake of your business.

Without further ado, let’s discuss the marketing best practices that you should remember to apply to your business during the pandemic.

1. Acknowledge That We Have to Acquire to the New Normal

Some people seem to think that everything will go back to normal once the pandemic is done. However, there is currently no cure to COVID-19 just yet, and expecting things to go back to normal might not be the best solution to your marketing woes.

The best thing that companies can do right now is to try to adapt to the new normal. If a vaccine is not created until the year 2022, then we might have to practice some type of social distancing until then. That’s quite a long time to put your business or marketing plans on hold and honestly, it’s just not practical.

The COVID-19 pandemic will most likely have a long-lasting effect on the customers and on your business, which is why it is important to adapt and try to tweak your marketing strategy based on these factors. You have to accept that your company’s messaging and strategies will change due to this unfortunate event and that working with the new normal will help keep your business afloat.

2. Don’t Hesitate to Ask for Help

Everybody needs to ask for help every once in a while. During trying times like this, you as an entrepreneur should be open to asking for help from the community. Besides, this is what the whole community is for – to help each other in times of need.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to your community. Learn to be vulnerable with your posts, communicate how your company is doing, and share your story. This way, your followers will know how they can help your company stay afloat. They will also feel a sense of connection with you since you will be able to show that you are only human and you are still vulnerable to these types of situations.

3. Consider an Agile Approach

The times are changing, and you should make it a point to adapt your business and marketing strategies. Your response to these social issues should be rapid so your audience can easily relate to it. Ask help from your creative team so you can change your slogan or message right away.

Another thing to consider is mixing your media platforms around. For example, since mobile gaming and video streaming are so popular these days, you might want to try and incorporate that into your marketing strategy.

4. Be Relevant and Tell Authentic Stories

If you want to be relevant, you have to be authentic. Don’t be afraid to tell people your story as this will help them feel closer to your business. Start by telling them how you and your staff are dealing with the pandemic, and make it a bit more detailed so you can encourage them to engage.

You can also tell your customers how you are trying to help the community during these trying times. Remember, now is a great time to pay it forward, and you should be as authentic and really willing to help your customers. Don’t do it just for the sales – do it because you really care for your community.

5. Always Be Accurate With Your Content

It’s always a huge no-no to create and publish inaccurate and misleading content. It’s especially important to deliver accurate and factual news as of the moment as people are glued to their TVs, phones, and tablets just to know the latest news about the pandemic.

Delivering accurate news will help your credibility as people will see your blog and business as something they can fully trust regarding news and trends. This will help build trust and proper communication between your company and the customers which can help your business in the long run.

6. Consider Modifying Your Offers

You have to adapt your marketing strategies in line with the pandemic, and one good way to do so is by modifying your current offers. For example, you can offer discounts for some of your products and services. Consider which one of these will be of great help to your customers during these times and let them know about the offer through paid ads.

Additionally, you can also try offering them free subscriptions for a limited period. For example, you have membership-only content that only premium members can view. You can make this available for about a week or so so that the general public can view it. This is a great marketing strategy as your audience will be able to see what you have to offer, and some might even be inclined to extend their membership.

Good Marketing Examples From Businesses

If you are looking for inspiration, then keep on reading, as we will discuss a few amazing examples from different businesses.

McDonald’s Philippines

McDonald’s Philippines is doing a great job of responding to the pandemic. They made a video outlining how they are planning on taking on the pandemic. They released the video back in March – just when the outbreak started taking over the world.

McDonald’s Philippines’ CEO and President Kenneth Yang lead the video, detailing how they will be taking the proper precautions and that they will always put their customers first. They claimed that they will not hesitate to cancel customer activities or even shut some restaurants down just to keep their customers safe.

The company also promised that it will make it a point to update its consumers about the actions that they are planning on taking regarding the pandemic.

Ford

Ford has been around for more than a century, and they always see to it that their customers come first. They were even able to help the soldiers during World War II by building military equipment for them.

Now that the world is dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, Ford’s president and CEO James Hackett said in an interview that they will be manufacturing medical equipment for the frontliners. The company is doing its part to support the consumers facing financial hardships due to the pandemic. They are offering the Ford Credit payment relief program.

Walgreens

Walgreens is one of the most trusted and biggest pharmacies in the USA. They are a trusted leader when it comes to health care, and they owe their massive success to their American audience.

Walgreens has an “Ask a Pharmacist” series on YouTube wherein pharmacists answer health questions from the customers. Since the pandemic started, Walgreens made it a point to answer COVID-related questions. They also converted an existing email campaign into a short video ad wherein they explain how people can take advantage of their online care services. They are also offering free prescription delivery and drive-thru testing for frontliners.

Ikea

Ikea Spain made this short ad to remind people that staying at home during the pandemic is not that bad. It reminds people that their homes are where they have built special memories with their loved ones, such as making art together, playing with their kids, and resting after work.

The ad is meant to remind people that staying at home is the safest bet when dealing with a pandemic. Ikea sells furniture and home appliances, and this ad is short yet on-brand.

Guinness

Guinness thrives in bars and parties. Sadly though, most bars have temporarily or even permanently closed due to the pandemic. St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated last March 17, 2020, back when the pandemic was just starting.

Guinness knew the whole world needed some kind of positive message, so they created this short video to remind people that we have to be resilient even during these trying times. They pieced some footage and images together to show how they were able to endure the test of time by being resilient and sticking together.

They also committed to giving $500,000 to the Guinness Gives Back Fund. They also vowed to extend their help to the hospital workers and to the whole community.

Conclusion

Dealing with the pandemic while trying to keep your company afloat can be challenging. However, with the right strategy, you can keep your business alive while still being able to satisfy your customers’ needs.