Weathering the Storm: How to Adjust Your Marketing in Uncertain Times

We know everyone’s tired of hearing about COVID-19. If you never heard the words “unprecedented times” again, you’d be happy, right? We hear you….but this bears repeating. Because whether it’s a health crisis, a recession, civil unrest, or the biggest thing since the invention of the iPhone…one thing we know for sure is, unpredictable things happen. 

When uncertainty hits the market, consumers become more cautious, budgets tighten, and marketing departments may feel pressure to pump the breaks. But think about it like this: 

When the world shakes, smart brands shake up their marketing game. 

Last month, we talked about why marketing teams should stick it out when the chips are down. Today we outline the how – with 4 smart strategies marketing leaders can use to reduce uncertainty and unlock purchasing decisions. 

1. Understand The Impact on Your Customers

Even in the roughest of times, you can succeed with customers – if you have a solution to the specific problem they are facing. When an event occurs that shatters the norm and ushers in a change, your first move should be to understand the impact it has on your customers. Ask yourself:

• What are our customers’ priorities right now?
• What key objectives are they focused on?
• How have their wants, needs, and behaviors changed? 
• How will those changes affect their purchasing decisions?

The information you gather will give you insights into their consumer psyche and help you figure out how your brand can meet their needs. Take KFC, for example. Before COVID-19, their ads showed people licking their fingers after eating. Think those “Finger-lickin’ good” ads are still running? Nope, they were quickly replaced with ads that reflect the new reality of handwashing and heightened sanitary standards.

How can you begin to understand the impact of an event on your customers? Listen. Observe. Ask for feedback. Talk to your buyers directly. Or, send out polls and surveys.

2. Meet People Where They Are

When the COVID-19 outbreak sent the world into lockdown, people turned increasingly to social media: 

• 78.1% of adults in the US have visited Facebook since the start of the Coronavirus outbreak

• Instagram has the second-biggest audience, with 49.5% of U.S. adults active on the platform
• ROI on paid ads has also increased in the last 6 months, with some businesses seeing a 71% upturn  

Given these stats, it makes sense that many marketers will enhance their efforts on social media. 

Beyond keeping your social media pages active and up-to-date, brands can connect with audiences on social like never before. Provide valuable, entertaining, or empathetic content to meet buyers where they are and remain top-of-mind. You can sell directly on-platform or use social to drive traffic to your offers. Either way, social media proves that when one salesroom door closes, another one opens. 

3. Focus on Providing Value

When the future seems cloudy, people tend to be more careful when making purchases. Help prospective buyers along by being proactive with support and relevant information. Strategic content like videos, articles, podcasts, and infographics help calm fears by answering questions and establishing trust with buyers. 

Value-packed content should:  

• Clearly demonstrate how your solution will work for the buyer
• Present data in an easy-to-digest format
• Make it simple for your buyers’ to compare available options

If buyers are shopping around on your site but not making it all the way to the “Checkout page”, you may need to tweak your product descriptions. A market research study such as user observation could reveal fatal friction points in your online shopping experience. 

4. Turn to Data To Reduce Uncertainty

When the world seems out of control, people crave certainty. After all, numbers don’t lie. Backing your plans with current data helps minimize fears by giving you a concrete foundation from which to solve problems. Every piece of data reduces uncertainty a little bit, increasing your knowledge and power (not to mention providing very persuasive evidence for the c-suite)! 

When you gather fresh, current data through a customized market research project, your team will gain insight into maneuvering new and uncharted territory. Answer questions like: 

• How can I improve my current approach?
• Am I defining my category too narrowly?
• Am I trying to fix something that isn’t broken?
• What are my buyers’ current needs? 
• What makes my customers feel special?
• How are people engaging with my message?
• How can I support them now and better serve them in the future?
• Am I sharing content the right way?

Some marketers are (understandably) a little uncomfortable advertising in times of uncertainty. Data-driven insight lets you shed light on the unknown and build confidence that your marketing efforts will improve results. 

Reach out here to discuss how market research can help position your brand for success.