First of all, we want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of our customers for supporting us during this time. We understand how important it is to come together during situations like this and we appreciate the cooperation.
The global pandemic of COVID-19 has brought all businesses and industries unique challenges, most of which people were not prepared for. Yet, we believe it may have, in fact, emphasised the importance of marketing in a depressed market.
Impact of COVID-19 on Marketing
Limitations are now in place which have completely altered normal, everyday life. This includes how businesses operate and strict protocols they have had to implement, such as no travelling, working from home and putting employees on Furlough.
The ability to develop content has not been so limited, however, due to technological advances. Content creators and marketeers still have the ability to communicate online with clients and to design and build campaigns using computer software, therefore are capable to work remotely.
However, the action of creating the content is not the issue for brands and businesses; the questions are how to market, what to market, and whether to even market at all.
Should Businesses Adapt Marketing Activities During a Crisis?
One of the first thoughts businesses tend to have during a crisis is to save money; this often means their marketing campaigns are immediately put on hold or cut dramatically until the foreseeable future.
Currently, there is an astonishing amount of pressure on the supply chain, whether it be dramatically reduced demand or the complete opposite. Therefore, marketing will most likely not be their priority.
Additionally, due to the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, campaigns are shorter and require to be more tone sensitive. Nevertheless, if businesses decide to give up marketing during this time, they risk their brand reputation which can ultimately have a domino effect on their future, after this crisis situation.
The Significance of Continuance of Marketing
Businesses should think of their marketing strategy as a long-term resolution during this crisis; the continuance of marketing is paramount at this moment in time and should not be compromised.
Although there will be some short-term decisions that are necessary to make, cancelling marketing campaigns is less likely to be one of them. Maintaining your presence, reassuring your audience and keeping up with consistency in a time of uncertainty, is an investment companies can make for the recovery.
The Importance of Print Marketing During a Crisis
With the majority of people self-isolating and staying at home during this time, direct mail marketing offers one of the best opportunities for any brand. Using direct mail as part of a marketing strategy means businesses can deliver their message directly to the consumer and guarantee that it will be received.
Although there is a lot more online activity, users will grow tired of screen time and the negative messages that can be streamed across many social platforms and news outlets. In addition to this, due to increased internet use, consumers are less likely to take notice of their email inboxes.
This is one of the reasons why the government undertook a huge print campaign, delivering letters and leaflets to every UK household. Stating critical information about public behaviour during the COVID-19 crisis, direct mail was used to spread this message due to the growing concern of online and texting scams.
Obviously, the progress of direct mail marketing relies on the Royal Mail and its delivery service which could become affected by the coronavirus. But, for now, they are working hard to carry on delivering mail and understand the key role they play in keeping everyone connected.
How Ancient House Can Help
Ancient House is still open, and we are here to help businesses. We recognise the gestation period between initial ideas and final delivery, so we are able to offer help and advice throughout the entire process.
From specifications to formats, budgets to materials, we have it all covered. With the current COVID-19 situation updating daily, time is of the essence so make sure your marketing campaigns are both efficient and successful.
We believe this crisis presents an opportunity for creative partnerships to be built, in aid to prepare for a stronger future for everyone. Everyone in the UK has a common enemy, so we should unite and fight against it using our marketing strategies.
Stay safe everyone.
