In times of crisis or economic uncertainty, many companies slash their expenditure and scale back their operations. Typically, marketing and advertising are the first areas affected by these changes. It’s a common misconception that the difficulty and expense associated with customer acquisition make marketing uneconomical.
However, digital advertising can be most effective in times of national or global crisis. When markets are crashing, supply chains are stalling and customers are thin on the ground, maintaining your marketing activity brings a variety of benefits, including:
Discounting digital marketing prevents your customer base from actively engaging with you. If your social media profiles go silent, your URL drops off the first page of Google and your PPC ads are nowhere to be seen, your target market will turn to another brand to fill the void.
While a crisis may prevent you from operating normally (or trading at all), this doesn’t mean you can’t communicate with your customers. It’s during these times of uncertainty that individuals look to established brands and companies for guidance, support and reassurance, so it’s vital your online presence is maintained.
Furthermore, a global emergency typically creates a fast-paced environment. As regulations are hastily introduced, local infrastructure is unexpectedly affected and the impact on your operations changes, you need to be able to engage with your customers effectively. Digital advertising gives you a platform to communicate instantaneously, which ensures you can respond to evolving situations in real-time and keep your customers up to date with how you’re dealing with the crisis.
Your response to a crisis is a notable element of your brand. How you choose to react in times of hardship will define your company personality forevermore, so it’s crucial to get it right. Digital advertising gives you the ideal platform to publish messages which shows support to people, communities and regions in times of crisis.
Almost half of the world’s population is now online, which means you can convey your sympathy, support and solidarity directly to the people affected. In doing so, you’re highlighting your brand’s ethos and showcasing the humanity that’s usually hidden behind a corporate veneer.
While this aspect of brand awareness is vital to your customer base and the population in general, it’s also extremely beneficial for your employees, subcontractors, suppliers and partners. When a global crisis strikes, everyone is affected. By publicizing your response via digital marketing, you’re also reinforcing your stance to in-house employees and collaborators. This enhances loyalty and gives workers an inspiring platform from which they channel their energy in response to crises.
If you think a catastrophe will prevent customer acquisition, think again. When disaster strikes, new markets and target audiences come to light. Some businesses discover a new niche following a crisis, while others uncover dual purposes for their existing services. You may even find that you are able to introduce new products and responses to provide essential support or relief in times of difficulty.
Furthermore, economic difficulties can threaten customer loyalty, which means it’s actually easier to acquire new customers. When household budgets are cut, for example, consumers are more likely to shop around in order to try and reduce their expenditure.
As other businesses scale back their CPC advertising, content marketing and social media activity, your brand’s visibility ensures you are perfectly placed to attract and entice these customers.
When a major crisis threatens your business functions, reducing costs is a viable survival strategy. It’s imperative, however, that cutting your expenditure doesn’t lose more in terms of income than it saves.
Digital advertising is significantly cheaper than traditional forms of marketing (and has higher success rates!). By maintaining digital marketing activity, updating campaigns and continuing to advertise online, you can successfully minimize your expenditure while still attracting and engaging customers.
If a crisis affects your region, country or the entire world, it’s likely to affect how you operate too. When people are unable to access the workplace, for example, your company’s long-term survival might depend on your ability to operate from alternative locations.
As digital advertising can be planned and published from any location, it offers the logistical flexibility needed amidst a disaster. Whether you’re a self-employed business owner or working as part of a team, the ability to collaborate remotely and publish digital advertising content ensures your organization remains visible. With plenty of help available, you can implement effective remote working strategies instantaneously:
Has the #coronavirus forced your #contentmarketing team to work remotely?
— 1827 Marketing News (@1827News) April 6, 2020
Here’s a guide from @DivvyHQ‘s @brockstechman to help your content team maintain efficiency and collaboration during this challenging time. https://t.co/fyjIE7bn8d pic.twitter.com/jRt9PovrhR
We’re here for you. To learn more about marketing your brand during a time of crisis, contact Pivotal New Media today!
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