Using a global crisis as your marketing trigger (makes you a d*ckhead)

We’re living in strange times today. Businesses, in particular, are learning how to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic to stay afloat, while at the same time keeping in mind the ever-evolving challenges their shareholders are facing. How do we reconcile the need to stay in business while being sensitive to the plight of human beings around the world—whether or not they are our clients?As a brand, it’s more important than ever before to have empathy for our customers. Some companies are using the current crisis as a sleazy excuse to push promotional sales, which is not only tasteless and unethical but has no long-term benefit to the brand, to begin with. In any case, attempting to bank on current fears is almost always a useless strategy, particularly the business in question markets non-essential products or services (clothing, for example).If you’re a business owner, you must be willing to reframe your expectations moving forward. Your focus during this time shouldn’t be on the financial gain but on brand-building. Show your audience what you stand for as a brand through your messaging and actions. The key is to frame your interactions as human to human, and not client to business.Business plans and budgets that were made at the start of 2020 are obviously now outdated. It will help to reach out to clients or customers directly and ask them how their priorities have shifted.Also, while it’s always important to err on the side of caution when it comes to marketing amidst the COVID-19 crisis, this is also a great opportunity to experiment with your approach as a brand. Throw mud on the wall and see what sticks. Just keep in mind that it is now easier than ever for your audience to see through manipulative marketing; so as long as your message is authentic and consumer-focused as opposed to merely profit-focused, your business has a much higher chance of thriving as the world moves towards the new normal.Links for things we mentioned in the episode:Six & Flow: https://www.sixandflow.comThe Marketing Meetup: https://themarketingmeetup.com/Dave Gerhardt: https://twitter.com/davegerhardtFanocracy (book): https://amzn.to/33V25UC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.