Should You Continue to Market to Your Customers During Lockdown?

The answer is yes, but with some cautions in place.

Implementing marketing plans during the lockdown will remind your customers that you are still in business and active as ever. However, it is necessary to smartly plan your strategies. If you plan to keep your communication lines open with your market, here are several pointers from Clixpert, a multi-award-winning Digital Marketing Agency in Sydney, that will help you plan an effective Marketing Campaign during the lockdown.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic spread in 2020, it caused many changes in how the world works. The lockdowns disrupted the normal operations of society.

As states like Victoria and NSW return to strict lockdowns to prevent the further spread of the virus, plenty of small and medium businesses are left wondering if they must pursue marketing their products. Even if in-store shopping has to take a pause, it does not mean that Marketing should be halted as well.

Ensure You Put Out The Right Message

If you plan to launch a new Marketing Campaign During Lockdown, you must first evaluate if your message is fitting and relevant to the current situation.

According to The Future of How People Shop study conducted by Valassis Research in February 2020, 87% of customers admire brands that provide relevant and timely information while in the middle of a crisis. It proves that you can find a way to maintain the flow of communication and keep them fully satisfied.

Some of the ideal messages that you can send to your customers during the lockdown includes:

• Reports updating the customers regarding your new operating hours, delivery practices, or the latest health and safety procedures implemented in your business
• Tips from your industry that could be useful for your customers while your city implements a lockdown
• Inspiring messages that could uplift the spirits of the customers.
• Details about the products that may help people deal with their downtime or keep their mental health in good condition.
• News about discounts or special offers
• Any messages showing your support to your local community

If you doubt if you can send your communication to your customers, you must reanalyze your message and reevaluate it with a fresher point of view. It will also help if you ask your friends or colleagues how they feel if they receive your message.

Be Kind and Helpful

During these trying times, plenty of Australians deal with difficulties as they adjust to the current events. The biggest rule in Marketing During a Pandemic is always to remain kind and helpful.

Nowadays, brands would benefit from offering genuine support and valuable tips to their customers and their community as a whole. You may ponder on the biggest problems and challenges faced by the market linked to your industry, then come up with relevant content to address it.

These traits are also very important if you are targeting younger audiences. Based on a Pulse survey, 89% of the respondents from the Millennials and Gen Z brackets are looking for products, services, or brands that can help them during the pandemic.

If you are running out of ideas on how to begin, here are some of the best ideas that can inspire you to create a good marketing campaign for various industries:

• Gyms or fitness centres: Try providing free online classes or instructional videos to help people remain fit and healthy while staying at home.
• Beauty salons or hairdressers: Produce a video or make a blog post that shares tips about beauty routines and other home remedies.
• Veterinary services: Publish crucial advice about taking care of your pets during the pandemic, including tips on looking after the four-legged friends even if you feel unwell.
• Tradies: Make videos or blog posts showcasing the most prevalent issues all over the house and how to repair them.
• Florists: Make your customer’s day by posting photos of beautiful floral arrangements, or surprise some of your loyal customers with free delivery of flowers.
• Professional services: Lawyers or accountants can make a FAQ page on their websites to answer some of the most pressing questions involving COVID-19, including what their clients can get from the government as benefits or the latest tax laws established for the pandemic.

All these services must be available for free. You may also look at what the other major brands are doing to help their customers deal with the situation. Doing this will not only help your customers during a difficult time in their life, but will also make a strong impact on them and earn you a linglong loyal customer. Also, your customers will remember what you did for them during the most difficult times of the pandemic.

 What Marketing Channels Should You Use? 

Since the majority of Australians must return to a work-from-home setup, plenty of people are spending a lot of time focused in front of their computers or mobile screens. It means small and medium businesses can take advantage of this phenomenon and invest in Effective Digital Marketing Strategies During the Lockdown.

Here are several digital marketing channels you can use for your business:

• Social media – It helps keep customers updated about the latest developments in your business even if they cannot visit your physical store.
• Website – Update all your business details and contact information so the customers can still reach out to you during the pandemic. This includes updating your Google My Business profile.
• Email marketing – Send messages to your leads and loyal customers to offer useful advice regularly.

Your Tone of Voice Matters

During difficult times, people gravitate towards positive, uplifting and supportive messages that give them hope. The tone of voice you use must make your brand sound human. Here are some tips to keep in mind when it comes to tone of voice:

Show empathy. Let your customers know that you understand how difficult a time it is for them by using phrases such as ‘’In these difficult times, know that we’re with you…’’ and ‘’We understand that this is a difficult time for you…’’.

Express gratitude. Make every one of your customers feel special and wanted. Let them know how much their business and continued support means to you.

Reach out if you need help with this

We’re here to support our clients during good, or difficult times.

So, if you need help with your Digital Marketing during Lockdown, Clixpert Digital is here to help. We’ve been in this business for over a decade and have a clear grasp of how to achieve the best results while delivering the most value for your money. Our team of SEO specialists in Sydney, Rockstar Web developers, Social media specialists and Content marketing gurus can help you with all your digital marketing needs.

Reach out! we’re only a phone call away: 1300 254 973 for a free consultation today.

Or if you’d like we meet virtually on Zoom or Google Meet – just let us know what suits you best.