Marketing Insights from a Pandemic

There’s so much that could be written about lessons learned this year, many of them as unexpected as COVID-19 itself. I was talking with the CIM team last week about that topic, and the conversation turned to specific marketing lessons learned. Take a minute to reflect on these:

Having strategic, business, and marketing plans is vital, but plans cannot be set in stone. While they serve to keep you focused and on track, it’s critical to be able to flex as the business and competitive landscape shifts. We didn’t just have a shift, the ground fell out from underneath us! In many cases, we learned to reinvent ourselves, our products/services, and our core ways of working. We didn’t just slightly correct course, we pivoted and did 180s and back again!

The human connection is vital. We learned new ways to connect with family, friends, and clients. From simply letting clients know “we’re still open to serve” to announcing operational or service changes, it became more important than ever to communicate, frequently, with our target audiences.

Downturns have their upsides. It has been a strategic time to invest in marketing. Similar to during the Great Recession a little more than a decade ago, media rates dropped significantly and some companies have been able to afford certain advertising opportunities for the first time. Historically, studies have proven that firms that invest in marketing during a downturn (especially while competitors cut back) come out ahead – in brand awareness and business growth – in the years following the downturn.

QR codes are making a comeback! Yes, several years back, QR codes hit the scene with a splash, then we saw them start to fade away. However, with most new mobile phones incorporating QR code reader technology within their cameras, coupled with our new “touchless” obsession, we’re seeing QR codes’ resurgence. Enter just about any restaurant, and you’ll see “Scan here to view our menu.”

We’re not done yet. No, we’re still learning and growing and managing to succeed despite all the challenges. I truly hope your efforts are paying off to stay safe and healthy, keep your family, friends, colleagues and clients as your focus, and adjust your business model to ensure continued success.

Quote of the week:

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.
Soren Kierkegaard

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