In 2020 when the pandemic hit, our lives changed. And they are not going back to normal anytime soon. But adaptions have happened everywhere, in schooling, in work etc. Things cannot remain at a standstill indefinitely after all. The same also applies in the field of digital marketing. As we market brands amidst the pandemic, what are the new strategies we can adopt and how many of them are feasible long-term? What can we do in order to meet or exceed customer expectations?
Asking and answering such questions and revising the answers if necessary is the only way forward right now. On this note, let us take a look at some of the marketing strategies that have changed post Covid.
Digital Marketing and the customer
Earlier on, we worked on the principle that marketing starts with knowing your customer well. Now though, marketing success is dependent on knowing the customer segment for a Brand or a Product well. The Pandemic has reinforced certain ideas that we always knew but perhaps did not pay that much attention to.
When we communicate with customers for a certain product, that communication has to be in very local terms and it also has to be very precise. What are the ground circumstances of the customer segment we are targeting and what are the things that are of relevance to them? The situation has to be clear to the digital marketing team, down to the details by zip code.
Before, we would also look at geo-demographics more. What is the location, age, income bracket and gender of the customer segment as opposed to what are their aesthetic choices, their values, their online search trend? In short, psychological aspects on the consumers holds more importance now.
The need of the hour is to create a real, human connection. And certain data that have surfaced regarding the recent choices of the consumers may be of some help here:
As income stability has lessened, consumers are focusing more on the affordability and functionality of a product rather than the Brand
People have become more environmentally conscious. They are picking Brands that are eco-safe more and more
People prefer purchasing items from Brands that appear more human in communication, honest and transparent to them
A new product that can serve a new experience is something that everybody wants. Carpe Diem, or living in the moment, has become a new trend
The Brand and its competitors
Pre-Pandemic, as a digital marketer, your competition used to be other products/ services/ brands in the same category. But now what you are competing against is the last best experience that your targeted audience has had. The Pandemic and the end of third-party cookies, both these factors contributed to hyper-personalization from all Digital Marketing companies.
As everything has gone digital, your consumers are expecting more than just seamless transactions and an aesthetic site. Here are some pointers to help:
Find a way to display real time analytics on your website instead of posting screenshots that are old
Invest in building up the right data and technology infrastructure so that your customer has a more customised experience
Make sure your backend mechanism is very strong and no glitches are visible on the front-end
Customers and their expectations
Pre-Pandemic, your consumers were hoping that you are able to offer what they need. But now, your consumers expect you to have what they need. Your consumers now expect an experience that will be anticipatory, relevant, connected and frictionless, whether it is B2B or B2C. Your customers need to get what they want and when they want it and nothing should get in their way.
The bar has risen so high, that one glitch on your site and your potential customer will be looking up another site offering the same thing. Hence, the importance on building up on data and technology infrastructure, as mentioned earlier. It is very important to remember that the 4 Cs: Content, Commerce, Community and Convenience, which would work on a ‘one strategy fits all’ mode earlier, has to be greatly personalized now.
Courting the Customer
To put it very simply, getting a hold of a customer database earlier was a process that offered a lot of variety thanks to third-party cookies. This proved very beneficial when it came to remarketing as well. But with the end of third-party cookies from all browsers, instead of customer databases or a wide reach, you need to focus on first party data and really efficient AI.
Your customer reach is no longer based on the chance that you have a huge database and your remarketing ads will be seen by many people and they will click on it. It depends on you actively courting your customer and providing them with an excellent experience so that they would want to be your client.
The customer must feel that the Brand knows them holistically and that they matter to the Brand. Customer-Centricity then, in short, is the new mantra for success.
If you are looking for business strategy solutions that are effective as well as affordable, feel free to contact Brandmirchi anytime. It would be our pleasure to help you.
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