In recent weeks we saw an explosion of “tips” around the internet. It’s just another side effect of the coronavirus global crisis that causes immense uncertainty. And thus, the need for tips.
We also participated in this game. And now we want to try and END IT. (At least for now, ha)
So we read dozens of such articles and went through hundreds of tips. Many of them COVID-19 related, others re-phrasing older ideas, some just plain out wasted our time.
We did that, so you won’t have to – and now we’re sharing the best of the best here with you. Take these as the 7 best tips for how a brand must “behave” in a post-corona world.
These are, in a way, the most important traits a brand must portray – always. It’s just the way the world reacted and changed during the crisis and post the outbreak, which made it clear that these tips are the most crucial to follow. 7 characteristics to adopt as a brand.
Let these be the fundamentals of your Relationship Marketing from now on. Or, at least, until the next time that our world goes through an extremely influential event.
1. Be Transparent
Brands are expected to communicate with consumers as humans do with one another. As people do in a relationship. A transparent marketing strategy is expected, as it puts the power in your customers’ hands, allowing them to trust and have a real connection with your brand.
In turn, being transparent is a reflection of your brand’s ability to communicate and resonate with customers while addressing issues that are particularly relevant to them.
In an era where information is easily accessible and readily available at all times, you must be responsible, transparent, and present consistent values. Customers will remember the positive traits used to establish a brand and most likely stay loyal to your brand accordingly.
For example, McDonald’s had to regain trust due to growing consumer fears of unhealthy ingredients in their hamburgers. So the brand started implementing transparent marketing initiatives that engage its customers and convert its most hostile critics. They decided to be very direct and open (way in advance of their competitors) by advertising calorie counts and publicly available nutritional information for its food products.
2. Give Discounts (that make sense both for you and your customers)
Ask yourself – does your brand offer discounts, sales, special promotional codes? And if so, to whom? Of what kind? And when?
And are you presenting the right target group the right offer, at the right time, on the right channel?
I mean, it’s great to offer your clients discounts and promotions to keep them coming back for more. But at the same time, you have to be wise as to whom you hand out your discounts to. Beware of promo abusers, and be sure that they’re not hurting your revenue in any way possible.
Also, keep in mind that when a group of customers is segmented and targeted by many small campaigns, the accumulated uplift is much greater than that of “spray and pray” campaigns.
Optimove, PostFunnel’s parent company, is the expert in CDP and CRM management and can answer all of these questions for you.
3. Be Relevant
Yes, there is value in holding evergreen values and messages. But being relevant is the call of the hour. Right now, brands must take into consideration the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has literally changed the face of marketing and brand perception. Showing your brand is in sync with the world builds trust.
Take the Swedish fashion retailer H&M, for example, who is leading the way in that aspect. They launched a specific stay at home campaign while looking comfy – oh so relevant – for these WFH times. It’s called the “Comfort Zone”, which offers home attire, precisely what its customers need when stuck at home. Another brand offered a combo of sweatpants and dress-shirts.
But incorporating consciousness into your brand’s messaging and offering is always expected, not just in times of a global crisis.
It doesn’t matter what’s going on in the world, whether it be a specific sporting event or seasonal spring campaign, as long as you’re acknowledging/celebrating it, your customers will be happy and engaged.
4. Be Helpful
This one is simple, but let us state the obvious. Be thoughtful when speaking to your customers. Show them how are you are helping the community, supporting a nonprofit organization, or the world as a whole.
Some brands do it by focusing on the environment. So, they sell sustainable, recyclable, and environmentally friendly products.
Other brands are active animal rights supporters and promote vegan food and vegan friendly clothing. In that sense, they also act as influencers, and there’s no doubt that this sector has been getting a lot of noticeable media attention lately.
The “being helpful” thing also ties back to the relevancy and promotions. If people stay at home – improve your delivery offerings. If there’s a cash shortage, offer buy-now/pay-later options. You get the picture.
Once you care for good causes and show interest in your customers’ changing lives and habits – they will likely stick around with you in the long run.
5. Personalize
If you offer promotions that are relevant and helpful… but to the wrong customer, then it’s kind of counterproductive, right?
But, as far as personalization goes, you will HAVE to make sure that you master it on all your marketing channels.
So, your website should recommend the appropriate options to a customer, but so should your other communications.
And, they all better be in sync. For that, you’re gonna have to segment wisely, of course.
To get a head start at tackling personalization, ask yourself these five questions.
6. Master User Experience
The experience your customer has with your brand is so vital as it truly is unforgettable. Frustrated customers do not tend to come back.
A brilliant, smooth experience can make you stand out from the rest. Very often, it’s what makes customers want to return and buy from you.
So you need to check that you have it all in place – everything from creating an account on your website to making a purchase, how easy it is to find your return policy, what it entails, and of course – how easy it is to navigate through your website to find what you’re looking for. And, don’t forget the need for consistency across platforms. Hey, we didn’t say it was going to be easy!
The above may seem obvious to mature, sophisticated marketers, but what many brands tend to miss is using dynamic inventory and pricing notes to send extra-relevant content to your clients. In other words, you should show live inventory data and updated pricing in your emails. This gives your customers access to real-time, always updated inventory when shopping with you.
7. Leverage Social Media (but don’t be dependant on it)
Brands that create an online social community have the most loyal users. For example, Lululemon has a very strong social community with millions of followers from across the globe. They know how to nurture and maintain long, healthy relationships. And used it to their advantage when they pivoted from being known for their athletic apparel stores, to hosting online yoga classes during the global lockdown.
Also, Nike is a great example of a brand that knows how to communicate with its customers. No one else can beat the power of their global team spirit.
But, as opposed to what many may have believed a few years ago to be the way to go – a brand must have a strong own & operated asset. You know, for the next time that Zuckerberg changes something in the algorithm.
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If you actually read through the entire article – kudos! I’m sure you’ll find it helpful.
If you haven’t, we’ll just ask you to repeat after us:
Be transparent, give promotions that make sense, be relevant, be helpful, personalize, master UX, and be social on social media. And your brand will be on the right track to allure to the consumers of a post COVID-19 world.