Prioritizing Print Marketing Strategies During Coronavirus

Welcome to the Dove Direct Print and Marketing Blog. Today's post, "Prioritizing Print Marketing Strategies During Coronavirus," puts forth a set of strategic marketing principles companies should be cognizant of to adapt print marketing in the coronavirus age. From 911 to the Great Recession, we have learned some lessons that have proven invaluable over time. That said, there are no quick strategic fixes, and the longterm outlook should avoid short term thinking. 



For example, the effects of social distancing, mask-wearing, avoiding crowded environments, and applying consistent hygiene methods, are now the norm and could last for months or years, certainly for the foreseeable future. 

During the previous administration's Great Recession, we learned that technological advances could provide automated processes, free up resources, and allow organizations to spend more time building customer relationships. Building customer relationships open the door for creative solutions to emerge, which changes the focus from the transactional sales to consultative strategies. We also learned from 911 that going dark on advertising and marketing can lead to a loss of marketshare, which in some cases, will take years to regain any semblance of brand marketshare.

Our Quote of the Day: "Amazing things will happen when you listen to the consumer." –Jonathan Midenhall, CMO of Airbnb


The New Customer Set

We are facing a new era in business, customer service, and customer experience. All three now mean something new. Some customers may be unable to operate at previous COVID-19 levels, including those classified as "non-essential." We all need to understand that there are questions that arise, including how we might communicate in a meaningful way with those customers, and, if it is possible, revamp our processes to meet unforeseen challenges.  The first step is to sort customer lists in terms of ranking, from top to bottom, beginning with the best customers. Incidentally, sometimes the best customers may not be in a position to spend on marketing, certainly maybe not consistent with pre-pandemic spending. However, some degree of trust should be built over time, which allows marketing and print providers to leverage customer relationships while offering trusted advice as a consultant.

Consulting provides an opportunity to make recommendations that extend help and solutions based on client conversations. Challenging times can also be a time to deliver value-added freebies that allow customers to continue to market. An act that goes a long way towards building loyalty.

Most business sectors are reallocating marketing investments, which likely include moving dollars from in-person events such as trade shows, boardroom presentations, or any live events to virtual. Those dollars may fund virtual meetings, other digital channels, and direct mail. Consulting your clients regarding budget reallocations should prove to be a worthwhile conversation.

Contain Emotions

This pandemic has elevated emotions, and as a result, folks tend to hear what they want to hear to comfort themselves, and in the area of marketing, this also applies. To move communications forward, it is critical to be sensitive about conversations that are sales or marketing related.

The new normal requires a bit more thoughtfulness and the ability to impart compassion and demonstrate a caring attitude. If you are unsure as to how to proceed, this may be a great time to revisit buyer personas, as they too will or should evolve. If you discover that your current buyer personas have changed, now is the time to reconstruct new buyer personas.

Preparation Post COVID-19

In-person communications may be a long way off before returning to a sense of normalcy. Organizations that have taken the plunge to ensure that they have a digital presence, including social media, blogs, forums, and live chat, are invariably presenting a higher sense of value to both consumers and current customers.

Another aspect that can be an excellent value for any business, mainly print organizations, includes refining solutions that present cross-selling opportunities, branded items, and promotional products. By identifying and adding essential services and solutions that are needed today, you may find that you can expand or broaden your appeal to prospects and current customers.

Preparation in this era requires looking at this scenario from various angles.  Business as usual before the pandemic may not return in the near or foreseeable future.   However, those businesses taking the creative bull by the horns, and simultaneously rethinking how to streamline operations to be more nimble, will fare much better now, and in the long term. From reorganizing to the creation of new processes, staff, shareholders, and management must be on the same page. When everyone is on the same page, communication with prospects and customers can be quick, agile, and adapt to changing circumstances. A position of certainty can lift the entire company, its customers, and any opportunities.

The Net-Net

There is good news; our economy has always been able to rebound, often more robust than before. The human spirit is adaptable and relentless in its pursuit of the next big thing. We are at an inflection point in many areas of society. While at times it may seem overwhelming, the reality is that we will rebound. We always have.

In the movie, "The Martian," Matt Damon's character, Mark Watney, told his students after being rescued from the red planet, "you solve one problem... and you solve the next one... and then the next. And if you solve enough problems, you get to come home."

In the business world, it's very similar; you solve enough problems, you will get more business. Thanks for reading, "Prioritizing Print Marketing Strategies During Coronavirus!"

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