In a Global Crisis It’s Time to Redefine Your Brand Marketing
Rule One: We‘re not in Kansas anymore.
This classic phrase from the Wizard of Oz movie in the 1930’s lets us know we’ve now stepped outside of what was normal and entered a realm that is unfamiliar, strange or even threatening. This does not mean all is lost but the rules that businesses have been operating under, with their current market channels, normal sales tactics, and branding, no longer apply.
The largest and most transformative shutdown of the world economy has hit everyone. It’s the biggest economic reset that has occurred in modern times, with enormous impacts that will be permanently transformative. This can be viewed in several ways. Long term impacts that are still not clear and short term needs require businesses and brands to consider what options exist for their company to connect with their customers and their market. Keep in mind there’s no one way this will work out. There will be both winners and losers in the same industry. It all depends on how your brand responds and adapts.
The rules that businesses have been operating under, with their current market channels, normal sales approach and branding no longer apply.
Retailers and businesses that depend on direct engagement with customers are now facing the most dramatic challenges to their businesses. How does an expanding chain of retail stores like Sephora, the makeup brand, connect with customers and guide them to use their products when their entire business model is about personal contact? They are highly dependent on direct, hands-on interaction with customers as they guide them through finding the perfect makeup combinations unique to each customer. How can they reinvent their connections online? I’d recommend using Youtube experts that connect daily to customers who want guidance.
Rule Two: Radical disruption changes the game.
On the other hand, large market trends that were happening gradually are now dramatically accelerating. It took less than 5 years at the end of the 19th century for the automobile to become part of the American urban landscape. How did that primitive technology evolve so quickly to dominate personal transport? Think of the popularity of online group conferencing, think Zoom meetings and webinars, and now online grocery and food delivery services. We’re seeing shifts in behavior and consumers are adapting as fast as they can.
It is only a question of a short time when the carriages and trucks of every large city will be run by motors – Thomas Alva Edison 1897
How do you as a brand develop strategies to best connect with valued customers and clients to build value in your relationship, even without sales, and enhance your reputation as we go through this dramatic shift? It’s a time to really redefine your brand as part of the consumers’ current experience, not to come from the past.
Breaking the rules: Don’t Ride Uber Ad.
Uber, whose reputation suffered dramatically over the last five years for being perceived as an uncaring and purely transactional type ride service always pushing aggressively to get market share came out with an amazing ad that actually said not to use their service, but to take care of those that matter around you. This clearly re-positioned them as there for you as a customer, that their brand is about people. This clearly is the center of what they are about: building trust between individuals to get somewhere.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_video_slider _builder_version=”4.4.4″ hover_enabled=”0″][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e8XLnMiCOE” _builder_version=”4.4.4″ show_image_overlay=”off” hover_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_video_slider_item][/et_pb_video_slider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.4″ hover_enabled=”0″ custom_padding=”||1px|||” min_height=”930px”]Rule Three: Have a strong brand in the first place and position its relevance now.
This is probably the single most important aspect of being able to connect and be valued by your customers and clients. Now that everyone is spending more time online it’s time to connect. If you’re valued, have a following, and your clients and customers know what you’re about then you can take advantage of this shift towards online media to stay in touch and share stories about who you are, what you’ve been up to with your company team and the value you bring. It’s easier for retail businesses that have tangible goods but service-based businesses can do the same thing.
By sharing stories, images and video content of who you are, you will amplify what you stand for. And, most importantly this is not about sales. It’s about connecting and being remembered.
Rule Four: Revisit your value and offerings.
You have to think in narrower terms now. What do people need, now? Just one item on your menu? or is it just information about the community to stay safe or get current updates on the CARES Act loans and grants? What do your clients and customers in your key markets think about right now? Is what they’re about and what you offer valued and shared? Narrow your focus and be more of a good listener and not a seller. Focus on what’s important to others. In residential and multifamily real estate marketing, for example, the key right now is to have housing filled and office spaces leased but you also must have clear safety guidelines for everything. How do you support this? By doing virtual tours and creating marketing that focuses on safety and health as well as using stories that connect back to what clients and customers are going through.
Reinventing Your Promise: The Stay Home of the Whopper Ads – Burger King
In the quick-serve and fast-food category who could possibly think that Burger King would provide a message in this crisis that would be valued to customers? Their clever and unique take on staying home created a series of patriotic ads that made fun of themselves and supported the need for community, cooperation, and first responders.
Now we can’t all do these expensive full-production ads but think like these ads. This is a world where everything has shifted so what matters to your market, your customers are what you need to pay attention to. Given that we’re all in this together and all online, this is a great approach to rethinking how you can engage and provide value with both humor and understanding.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_video_slider _builder_version=”4.4.4″ hover_enabled=”0″][et_pb_video_slider_item src=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsQ7Wto0FJg” _builder_version=”4.4.4″ show_image_overlay=”off” hover_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_video_slider_item][/et_pb_video_slider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”||0px|||” min_height=”865px”]Brand Strategies and Tools to Keep Clients Connected
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Focus on continuous brand awareness– whatever you do, stay in touch. In simple ways be always be relevant to the customer’s needs that keep you connected.
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Creating and sharing stories – stories are what people want to read, view, hear about. They make things relevant and memorable. Whether in your email content, postings to Instagram or LinkedIn, they create continuity and connection.
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Become personal in communications – Yes, it’s about real people in your restaurant, store, or firm. It’s about how they are working through this and what they are doing in their lives through your brand.
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Shape your message to be relevant to customer’s immediate needs – Always, always, always bring it back to the customer. This is not a time of pushing sales or marketing services except in a way that helps customers feel connected and they value what you offer.
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Use digital media tools to reach customers -To make this all happen to build a tactical strategy that connects your value, your brand to the market, to the customers you have or want to have, offer real value and use email, social media, Zoom calls and video content you create to show how you’re there for them. Even if customers are not purchasing from you they will remember who you are and what value you bring.
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Create a plan and execute your strategy – This will become the blueprint you operate from for the next several months and what you learn about this can bring you enormous insights into future sales and connections to your customers and clients.