There’s no denying that change is good. It’s necessary for business growth and helps brands stay relevant. As life and business strategist Tony Robbins once said, “By changing nothing, nothing changes.”
Yet, in these uncertain times, adapting to constant change can seem overwhelming. Until now that is. We’ve put together our top tips for planning marketing priorities in an age of Covid.
Embrace change
The key is to see change as an opportunity. It’s not a dirty word to be feared, but a chance to pivot or try something new that could result in unexpected benefits.
That’s why we recommend marketing plans should be fluid rather than set in stone. By keeping them agile, you can be more nimble, creative, and responsive when updating your marketing campaigns to capitalise on whatever life throws your way.
Focus on what won’t change
Sure, we might not know what twists and turns are around the corner, but there are some dates and events in the calendar that are here to stay. Christmas isn’t going anywhere soon, Valentine’s Day is a keeper, and we’re counting down the days until National Pizza Day (which is on 9th February in case you were wondering).
In a time of constant change, these are things you can control. Campaigns, blogs, and social media posts can be created ahead of time to showcase your brand’s unique twist on topical events.
Define your niche
Talking of focusing on things that won’t change brings us on to what makes your company unique. This includes:
- Your brand’s unique selling points
- What you excel at (e.g. your competitive edge)
- Who your target audience is and what their pain points are
- What media channels they consume (be it online or in print).
These things are unlikely to change no matter what else changes in the world. So choosing to focus energy on planning marketing around your niche gives you a solid foundation on which to build.
Simple is best
There’s a lot to be said for keeping your messaging simple. Just consider the UK government’s Covid-related ad campaign slogans such as ‘Hands. Face. Space.’ and ‘Eat out to help out’. Throughout what has been a constant state of change, the pandemic messaging has been short and memorable.
The simpler you can make your marketing messaging, the more likely it is to be successful…no matter what changes before or during a campaign. That’s because keeping things simple makes it easier for your target audience to understand and makes it easier to tweak your campaign as and when needed.
Leave it to us
We’ll leave you with one of our favourite quotes about change, from author Robert C Gallagher: “Change is inevitable – except from a vending machine.”
As specialists in marketing strategy and planning, we’d be happy to help navigate your marketing through the inevitable seas of change (we can’t help with vending machines though, sorry).
To find out more, please get in touch with The Bridge Marketing team.