Empty streets, closed stores, staying at home. The long-term impact of the coronavirus on the global economy is still unknown, but the scenario managed by different economic and financial agents is not encouraging.

In this situation, many entrepreneurs see Digital commerce as the only means of escape to avoid the debacle of their finances, even an opportunity to continue promoting their growth.

Every crisis creates new opportunities and the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is moving the needle on all fronts, including how many companies communicate with their target audience.
And presently, there’s nothing best besides Digital and Social Media Marketing.

Considering Online Business Growth, soon I will be putting a spotlight focus on a few Digital Marketing Strategies to lead your business amidst the Corona Crisis.

First Things First: Stay Home, Stay Safe & Stay Informed!

One of the trends generated by the COVID-19, worldwide, is not to leave home, except for urgent needs such as going to the workplace or purchasing food and/or medicines.

This means that the man-hours that people around the world used for performing activities away from home are increasingly being spent at home, from where they consume social feeds, access web portals of all kinds, get entertained via YouTube, Netflix, video games or remote communication platforms, and buy food and supplies all via intuitive Mobile and Web Applications.

The Overlords, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and many others are helping people and enterprises to cope up with the Corona outbreak in the form of running safety campaigns, business grants programs, live trackers and updates.

#Google’s “Do The Five” Campaign

Google raises awareness by promoting Do The Five campaign to slow down the Corona Virus spread.

There is a list provided of the Do’s and Don’ts to take care of oneself along with the others and simple measures are suggested that people can take to fight against this pandemic.

# Facebook’s Business Grant Program

The popular brand aims to boost business and has launched a “Small Business Grants Programme” to provide financial support to enterprises to lower the intensity of business disruptions faced during this challenging time.

# Microsoft’s Bing Live Tracker

Bing has developed a live tracker serving as an interactive map to keep people up-to-date on the growing/reducing figures of COVID-19 affected people. The map showcases current numeric stats of active cases, recovered cases and the deceased.

Business Marketing in 2020 is Like?

“As evident, the tendency to avoid personal contact is becoming a digital accelerator.”
“More Digital, less Outdoor Advertising!”

On the communications, advertising and marketing side, a large part of the budgets must be reallocated to new strategies, channels, formats and messages capable of correctly reaching the homes of those isolated by COVID-19.

The new Corona environment will not only drive the greater use of digital resources but will also improve the professionals’ skills, experience and knowledge on how to captivate the consumer.

The companies that dare to look for new formulas to face this context will have gained an important advantage versus those that only resign themselves to hide and wait for the storm to pass.

Remote Working is the New Trend

To maintain business continuity and expect no service disruptions many companies have leveraged the policy of WFH(Work From Home) and have become operational ready.

NetSet has also issued a BCP(Business Continuity Plan) as an advisory to cope with the situation by serving clients on digital grounds working remotely, maintaining their employees’ safety and security in parallel.

WFH offers scalability, efficiency, business power, and environmental benefits, considering that almost every establishment has opted for it for a smooth continual business process.

Digital Marketing Strategies to Lead Business in 2020 Face of Crisis

In an unusual situation like the one we live in, of confusion, fear, isolation, brands must find a way to show their empathy with their customers, remember their values and make themselves feel close.

The fundamental objective in these tough times should not be to sell, it must be others: remember their social responsibility, support their reputation, foster loyalty and build loyalty.

In moments like this, never before experienced, brands must work to be remembered. And digital marketing offers the best channels to spread the right messages for recall.

[Take a 5min read on Why Digital Marketing is Essential for Small Businesses?]

#Strengthen your Bonding & Branding

It is important to offer messages of trust and transfer your values and commitment to the situation we all live in. Let your customers know that they are the most important thing to you, and that out of responsibility to everyone (including your team) the physical stores will remain closed but not your website, where you expect them with surprises.

Make your audience feel that you share their fears and that you are there to cover them. It emits messages that generate empathy and emotional bonding. These days, we have been able to receive messages such as:

• For you and you. Always by your side because together we are more.
• Together we will overcome it. Because we don’t know what we are capable of until we do. We can with this and much more
• This is a time of uncertainty, but also an opportunity to appreciate the value of being together
• Now in the distance, it’s time to be closer together than ever
• By your side for what you need
• Together we take care of you.
• We continue working for you.
• In this exceptional situation, NetSet remains by your side.

Share how you have intensified communications with the delivery network so that you comply with hygiene measures when making deliveries of shipments. Likewise, share the hygiene measures your team takes and the flexibility of days that you have agreed.

#Entertain, Delight and Connect

Write tips with proposals, advice, and suggestions to spend these days of confinement at home. Spread them through channels such as your blog, email or social networks where your audience is.

If you have the chance, share activities virtually. You can arrange collaborations with trainers to offer personal training, or with other types of professionals to offer talks or other activities depending on what arouses more interest in your audience.

You can also come live on networks like Instagram sharing daily anecdotes lived by your brand or suggestions to entertain time. All these actions will enhance the union with your clients in these difficult times.

# Focus on Customer Experience

Extra effort is required at this time to make a positive impression on consumers. Providing facilities and helping them with any problems that may arise when interacting with your online platform is essential.

Encourage and improve conversation within your online store/website with your customers. Enable Live Chats, contact phones, and email addresses visibly so that they can communicate with you in any way and at any time.

Now they have time, and your brand must come closer and connect with them. Also, take advantage of channels such as Whatapp or Facebook Messenger to stay in touch and be interested in them.

Proactively Address Issues. Transparency is one of the most important values ​​that today’s consumers look for in a brand. Communicate any delay in delivery/service that may arise.

#Be Budget Ready

Your buyers and consumers are going to show an inclination, changing their purchasing behaviors and patterns over till the next few months and this calls for you to be budget-ready in advance to react to such expected changes.

At present, every penny counts where you need to make the best out of your business marketing efforts. Expand your search as per your business plans(long term/short term) and target customers and look out for collaborative agencies with which you can partner and acquire business gains. If you can afford it alone, go for it, else you can also look for business grants offered by Facebook as per your eligibility. All in all, Spend your Budget Wisely.

#Use Social Media at its Best

Let your customers and clients know about your service status via social means. Aware them about your availability and keep them up-to-date with your business and its progression.

Are you open or not?

Are your services running remotely?

How are your Employees working?

Have you ensured employee safety?

What’s your Business Continuity Plan?

Answer these questions via social posts and flood them over all the possible networks to spread your business messages in the right form, at all the right places. People have said no to mobility but they haven’t said no to mobile and e-devices. You’ll not find people on the streets, you’ll find them online!

Here is a perfect example set by Instagram: “Stay Home” Sticker, promoting Social Distancing!

Social media ads, contents, posts, comments are the pivots of social interactions which must be the present target of enterprises to aid people/clients/consumers via their relevant services. There is a close need to transform online marketing methods, considering the adoption of the same lifestyle by one and all.

Need of the Hour: You must be emotionally connected with your audience to be remembered and recalled even after the suffering ends.

I hope you’ll find this write up knowledgeable and useful in the time of crisis. Till then- Take good care of yourself and cheer up!

The post Digital Marketing Strategies to Survive Amidst COVID-19 appeared first on Netset Digital.