Our job is to communicate. That need—and responsibility—doesn’t take any time off.
Working out of the office for eight weeks with no true face-to-face contact with co-workers, professional peers or clients wasn’t exactly easy. Like everyone else, we “Zoomed,” called, texted and emailed. We carried on our day-to-days as best as we could. But with more than half of the world shut down and more than 44 million Americans applying for unemployment benefits during the pandemic (about 29% of the workforce), we grappled with our role as marketers. After all, what exactly were we supposed to market?
A couple of weeks into trying to answer that question, a client did something that shook us out of our COVID haze. Like many businesses, franchise groups, associations and decentralized sales organizations, the client had just cancelled a national meeting for their partners. It was not unexpected. Rather, the unexpected was what came next. While many other companies had decided to bunker down, slash programs and save the associated cash, our client did not. Rather than surrender to the circumstances, they asked a question: “If we can’t do that, then what can we do?” Even when in-person collaboration wasn’t possible, they stepped up to find ways to connect with their constituencies — through direct mailings, powerful videos, e-mails and more.
“If we can’t do that, then what can we do?” is now the question we are asking ourselves and our clients. What can we do to support those people we work with and for — be it our customers, salespeople, internal team members, board members, channel partners, or our varied and diverse connected constituencies?
According to McKinsey & Company’s May 29, 2020 Survey findings: “As COVID-19 progresses and more regions begin to reopen, U.S. consumer sentiment is mixed, with many consumers unsure of the future. The next normal is beginning to emerge, and consumers indicate some of their behavioral changes may stick in the long term.”
This tells us that the extreme steps taken to contain the COVID-19 virus will not have just an immediate impact or even a lingering influence on our economy and mental health. Rather, there will be long-term effects on how we interact with people, products and companies. The shut-down forced us to abandon old thinking and behaviors and adopt new ways to accommodate our evolving needs. The behaviors we had to adopt are likely to stick with us — including how we teach and learn, how we speak with a physician, and where and how we shop and exercise. The expectations for each and every daily interaction have shifted — and brands have had to adapt to meet those expectations quickly. Clearly, what we do now matters.
So, where does that leave those of us who (in broad terms) work in marketing? Some points to consider:
– If mass transit is shifting, what does that do to our out-of-home strategy? How can we pivot to meet our customers where they are at now — at home?
– A new Pew Research Center survey conducted in early April found that roughly half of U.S. adults (53%) say the internet has been essential for them personally during the pandemic. How can we optimize our digital offering to ensure we are serving our customers well as online activity increases?
– With the call for social distancing came the accompanying rise of what is being referred to as the “social recession.” Isolation has made many people lonely — and those that already felt alone may feel even more dispirited. How can we as employers, business partners, and simply humans ensure we are communicating with each other in a way that fosters a sense of belonging and understanding?
These are all reasonable questions. And, as marketers, we consider them our questions. We are the voice of businesses and brands. It’s important now more than ever to determine what and how to deliver the most critical messages.
It’s been easy to get caught up in the chaos of this pandemic. But, now is not the time for marketing to slow down or stop. It’s a time to fully accept our responsibility and fulfill our obligations to our customers and co-workers, as well as ourselves. If you’re not sure where to start, we recommend asking yourself: “If we can’t do that, then what can we do?” The answers may not be easy to find — but whoever said marketing was easy?
Circle back and let us know how you have answered that question. We’re always ready to hear a good story.