Busy times for marketers, isn’t it?
In times like this, when it feels things are changing by the hour, being reactive with your content and your clients’ content, posting and publishing it without thinking how it relates to the business and the people you’re trying to serve might not serve you well. Especially in the time of COVID-19.
With the changing situation, it’s clear that your content needs to change to speak to the needs of your audience.
I am in Sydney, Australia, and our neighbours from Melbourne have just been ordered back into lockdown for 6 weeks.
Nina Christian, the founder of the Awards-winning agency Braveda, experienced marketer from Melbourne, has drawn a wealth of advice for successfully navigating those crazy times, when it seems like business and family life are continually changing.
As marketers, there are a few things to keep in mind, a kind of checklist, whenever things change (again!)
Here’s Nina’s go-to list to refer to make sure you don’t miss something – as the last thing you want to do is send insensitive automated email messages to people who are definitely NOT in the business as usual headspace.
- Check all your scheduled emails – to make sure they are relevant, appropriate, helpful.
- If you have cancelled events, ensure all your automated messages and communications are adjusted accordingly.
- If you have changed your regular operations in anyway, let customers know.
- Please check all your Scheduled social media posts… ditto for any ads you’re running. It’s obvious. Think about the headspace someone is in when they see your post/ad. Is it appropriate?
- It’s not to say you need to be talking about #coronavirus.
- Just be aware that people are in a different frame of mind at the moment and we need to be sensitive to that.
Yes, it’s a busy time for marketers. Especially anyone who is in Content Marketing and/or Social Media.
Customers are expecting brands to show up differently at the moment. And to be sensitive, empathetic and relevant.
As much as your product may be awesome, they likely have other things on their mind at the moment.
So you may want to consider:
- Holding off your regular messaging – until a time when customers will be more receptive
- Adapting – to make it more relevant/timely/helpful
THEN
- Proceeding – if it’s something that will meet your customers where they’re at right now.
- Your customers will remember what you say and do during this season more than any other single marketing initiative.