How Brands can Manage the Impact of COVID-19

Covid-19 has undoubtedly shaken the world making us live in unprecedented times. Each day shows new cases of the virus reported since the previous day. States are reopening then closing again as cases increase. Hotels are vacant, malls are empty, and fewer consumers are venturing outside to shop. According to the second quarter (Q2) GDP report, released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in real terms declined by 6.10% (year-on-year) in Q2 2020. Businesses are struggling to stay afloat.

The following are some marketing best practices for brands to help them mitigate the pandemic’s harmful effects.

Stay connected

With most of the world staying at home either due to shelter-at-home orders or their personal choice, it’s up to businesses to meet consumers where they’re at: online.

Businesses should provide regular, consistent messaging to their customers on their website and social media accounts. A priority should be delivering useful information about pandemic-driven changes to business operations, such as new hours and other updated services.

According to research by McKinsey, consumers buy more from companies that demonstrate concern for their employees. Businesses can reassure their customers by telling them what measures they’ve put in place to ensure their safety and well-being and that of their workers.

Consumers are now, more than ever, looking for brands they can trust and whose values align with theirs. Brands must deliver on their values and be empathetic when communicating with customers. Many customers are looking for stability and comfort in these uncertain times, and the right messaging can provide them with just that.

Leverage high-quality content

Quality content is the workhorse of digital marketing—it allows brands to educate, entertain, and engage with consumers. It builds a brand’s online reputation and establishes it as a thought leader in its industry, which helps build brand awareness and trust.

Consistently producing and publishing high-quality content boosts traffic to a brand’s website and social media pages. Doing so helps generate leads and improve conversion rates.

The coronavirus is a very topical subject, and brands can up their visibility by posting content relevant to their business and the pandemic situation. COVID-19-related content is likely to get more shares, likes, and reposts than evergreen topics. Perhaps in times like these also, the #EndSARS #EndSWAT #EndPoliceBrutality which has trended for days now could be twisted to speak against injustice in the society, cleverly through messaging.

However, when creating pandemic-related content, it is essential to adopt the right tone. Brands must focus on being empathetic and providing real solutions. They must be careful not to be perceived as taking advantage of the situation; otherwise, their reputation may become damaged.

To streamline their content marketing efforts, brands should consider using a couple of social media tools. These can prove useful to businesses who wish to optimize all stages of their content marketing workflow, from creating a strategy to distributing content.

Listen to Customers and Provide Solutions

To ensure a positive customer service experience, businesses should let their customers know that they are ready to provide timely support. Companies should respond promptly through all of the communication channels, be it phone, email, or social media. Such ways help create a great customer satisfaction.

While bots and FAQs are helpful self-service options, they do not impart the warmth and empathy that consumers are looking for in these challenging times. Now more than ever, it’s vital for brands to show their customers that they care and are happy to provide solutions tailored to their needs.

Consumers would continue patronizing a business that provides excellent customer service. Hence, a caring and personalized approach can help boost customer loyalty which will in turn have a positive impact on profits.

• Onoriode Akusu is the founder and managing editor at OnlinePikin-Africa. A digital activist, enterpreneur and writer helping brands grow online.