Brand Promotion: Marketing Tactics for Post-Pandemic Possibilities

by ddos ·

Image Credit: Gerd Altmann | Pixabay

Adaptation is the key to business survival. Even when faced with the toughest challenge, the best that you can do is to conform to these changes and redesign your operations. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic halting and shutting down thousands of businesses globally, the marketing industry finds itself in the middle of a dilemma as both financial resources and public interest have whittled down.

The problem now lies in how to promote your brand and services without coming off as insensitive and too self-centred. Hundreds of owners are questioning the effectiveness of old marketing strategies as they may not fit the customers’ needs anymore.

Bouncing back from this pandemic will be one of the toughest marketing challenges that you have to face as it will determine your post-pandemic trajectory. What can you do to overcome it?

 1. Conduct Virtual Events

With physical distancing protocols still strictly implemented in most areas, holding a public event for your brand’s relaunch is better done in a virtual format. Prioritizing your staff and customers’ safety should still be given full attention.

You might think that doing so could have more potential technical issues and less audience participation than a physical gathering but you don’t need to worry because apps like Zoom and Google Meet have got you covered when it comes to organizing a virtual event.

With highly developed features and options, they provide a user-friendly environment for both hosts and audiences. And, since most of the population has now adapted to teleconferencing with their work-from-home jobs and online class, encouraging them to participate wouldn’t be a big hurdle anymore.

2. Create Audio Material

Podcasts and audiobooks have been recognized as one the most consumed multimedia formats during the pandemic. With people quarantining in their homes, these auditory treats have become their proxy companions.

Its versatile format also allows listeners to do other things and tasks for their work-from-home job setups while still being able to listen to their favourite books and podcasts. Considering all of these, why not take the chance and expand your content marketing strategies to include audio material as well. You might find a whole new audience who’s waiting for you.

3. Cater to Recreational Activities

A year spent alone cooped up at home has given the populace plenty of time to explore other recreational activities. However, due to the lack of physical contact, most of them do not find these activities to be as fulfilling as they would like.

As a brand, you can take advantage of this lull in interest and use it to create interactive content. So, if you offer services like acne treatment in Guelph, you can create a virtual tour or operation scenario that your hesitant customers can engage with to make their visits more comfortable.

You may even use augmented reality, or virtual reality, to engage audiences while allowing them to connect with other people. You may even sponsor Esports and virtual games to promote your brand as such type of gaming has gained popularity during the pandemic.

4. Content Marketing Localization

Targeting a specific location or area that most mainstream brands often neglect is one of the best ways to generate your own loyal local following. Doing so can help you rebuild your brand from the ground up since there will be a more stable source of income. To effectively achieve this, you have to localize your content marketing strategies as well.

You can optimize your keywords by adding in the specific location, contacting local media news outlets, and sponsoring local events. This local loyalty is easier to foster compared to a national audience, where your competitors have much more influence than you.

However, before you decide on your target location, make sure to search up on the area first to have more insights. You may look up, for example, the “virtual cooking classes in Toronto” to understand the existing local market dynamics or conduct a survey on the locals in Toronto.

5. Highlight Values

A strong customer-brand relationship is built on the foundations of shared values. With the post-pandemic world heralding new social upheavals and changes, you need to stay updated with the recent movements that your target audience values.

As customers become more aware of the political and environmental problems, they often extend their activism to the products that they use as well. So, make sure that your brand knows where it stands when it comes to major issues. Customers will appreciate you more when they realize that you reflect their values.

6. Vigilant PR

Being sensitive to other people’s experiences during this global crisis should be a priority for your branding and marketing strategies. Being politically correct is more than just avoiding offending your audience, rather it is showing them that you know the issue, value their opinion, and understand their sentiments.

So, before you publish your next promotional posts, be quick on checking in news updates to guarantee that your content is appropriate and correct. Hire a PR to double-check such decisions to avoid any disastrous publicity.

7. Value Current Customers

The economic crisis that the pandemic has brought can make it difficult for you to entice new customers. Instead of wasting your resources on low-yield investments, why not pay attention to your current customers who have stayed loyal to your brand?

If you offer memberships, make sure to refund them during times of temporary closures, which may hurt your finances for a short while. However, doing so strongly reinforces the message that you value them. They will surely flock back to you upon reopening post-pandemic.

8. Invest in Online Transition

With more than 2.14 billion people worldwide shopping and availing services and products online, completely transitioning to digital marketing is an inevitable step for any business that’s hoping to survive.

However, doing so will require technical skills when it comes to content development and website programming. Fortunately, you can always hire experts who specialize in SEO and videography services to help you. You can even do it yourself with online tools and software programs that are easily available and accessible to you.

Brand promotion is all about knowing the trends in the market and resonating with your customers. It’s more than just logos, websites, and catchphrases, as it is more on connecting to audiences on a more personal level with your messages and values as a company.

Doing so in the post-pandemic market is quite tricky. It is imperative for you to stay vigilant of these market trend shifts and adapt to them right away.