Marketing has always been an integral part of a business regardless of its size. Covid- 19 has brought a lot of change which has impacted business operations, some of which includes their marketing activities. Most companies may have outlined their marketing strategies for the year, but as the 2nd quarter of 2020 began, priorities may have shifted more towards sustaining core business operations. Though, this may be a reasonable course of action, one can argue that marketing does play a very crucial role now, and instead of shifting focus totally to sustaining core business operations, the brand (business) still needs to remain relevant in the minds of their clients and those they hope to impact. How then does the marketing team of a company do that when all available resources are being channeled to what so to speak “matters” most?
- The business must first embrace the fact that marketing remains an integral part irrespective of the times and must focus on portions of outlined strategies that reflect and would work perfectly in such times. There are no straitjacket answers of how marketing should be done in these unusual times, but we must all attempt to find ways that work for us and still maintain competitive advantage. The kind of change that this pandemic has brought to businesses has not only affected their operations, but essentially, their branding and marketing as well.
- However, while sticking to the long-term marketing plan, businesses must be agile with short term strategies and position themselves such that they are ready to implement initial strategies once everything normalizes in along the line. In the meantime, one component of marketing which should be at the core of marketing strategies and adopted is digital marketing.
- Utilizing different forms of online based technologies, media, and platforms to promote one’s product or service is the way to go during and after this pandemic. Existing clients or prospects may not necessarily buy a product or subscribe to or request for a service immediately, but through relevant online content, they would be engaging with the business. As these great online connections are being developed, it could later translate into a long-lasting customer relation. This is the time for businesses to modify their campaign messaging and communication channels to provide information that is relevant in this current context.
There are so many benefits that businesses who engage in digital marketing enjoy as it serves to be an easier and more cost-effective way to reach many people.
