Digital Marketing and COVID-19

Just like everyone else, the Top Floor team is closely watching the progression of COVID-19. As marketers, it can be difficult to navigate this completely uncharted territory. Many clients are asking how to put forward the right message to their own customers during this heightened time, and if they even should be putting forth marketing messages. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about this (and even held a Facebook Live event where we discussed everything from marketing to company culture) and are here to offer some of our advice.

Is now the right time to be marketing?

People are more focused on the immediate issues right in front of them right now, which generally makes running promotions less effective. However, it’s important to still engage your customers, and potential future customers. Although the typical buying cycle you’re used to may have slowed down, you should continue to build that relationship. One way to do this is to focus more on content marketing rather than direct marketing by providing future customers with the resources they might need when making buying decisions. People are generally more alert right now, so having relevant content that responds to your customers’ pain points has the potential to be better absorbed and can position you for success in the long run.

What if my business can help in a time of crisis?

While focusing on sales might not be the best approach for most industries right now, there are some unique cases. For instance, if your industry is in remote learning, teleconferencing, or manufacturing much needed medical supplies, this could be an opportunity to get your name out there and invest in more paid search spend or social promotions. Just be sensitive to the unique circumstances that have put your services in high demand.

Do I need to let customers know how we are responding to COVID-19?

You might be concerned about over-saturating your customers inboxes or news feed with more COVID-19 updates. The key here is to be transparent and personal to your direct audience and what they might be experiencing. Try to avoid the same messaging you’re seeing everywhere else, and hone in on your specific audience and how the changes you are making internally could affect them. You may also want to consider different content formats. Maybe everyone else is giving updates in a social post, but you may want to use videos or webinars as another way to deliver your message and help you stand out from everyone else.

Tips and Tricks

Now is the time to completely rethink everything you’ve been doing. The same old strategies you’ve used previously won’t be as effective as they once were. Now is the time to re-prioritize and focus on some of those projects you’ve put on the back burner or paid less attention to in order to drive sales. Here are some tips and tricks from the team:

Leverage social media to highlight company culture and how you and your team are facing these challenges.
Think of a few ways you can get involved in your community and help push them forward during this difficult time. Share with your followers/employees to get them involved.
Produce. More. Content. With more time on our hands, start pushing out more blogs, graphics, social posts, and other types of content that may resonate with your audience and build that long-term relationship.

We hope this helps you face some of your own questions and challenges when it comes to marketing during this time. We know every business is different and is dealing with this in different ways, and we’d be happy to schedule a video call with you if you have any questions or are looking for advice.