Marketing in the age of social distancing
How do you connect people to products in the midst of these trying times?
Your Marketing has to change as your target groups have experienced life-altering illness, lifestyle mandates, and governmental controls. Social Distancing has created space in our physical world and in our psyche. There is a correlation between social distancing and a host of physical and psychological illnesses.
With that in mind, good marketing is going to go slowly, focus on messaging fundamentals and treat the reader with a soft touch. Here are some guidelines for your marketing now, as of April 2021. Throw out everything from the past. Be aware that all of us are living in uncertain times and each transaction we make has a new meaning.
First, use soothing images, empathic and caring messages. Speak to the reader as if they are a good friend and establish that you want to know how they are doing and how to help them. Bold and brash is so 2019, current messaging needs to invoke a sense of calm and support.
Second, use genuine stories and examples. Base your messages on what you have heard in the last few weeks from your customers. How are you and your services or products promoting a feeling of normalcy and stability? Highlight those messages and give your reader a chance to be calm for a few minutes.
Lastly, use soft closes to complete sales and be genuinely appreciative of completed transactions. There is a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety about every aspect of our lives and a genuine human touch will be comforting and create a longlasting association with your company. Take some time to review your marketing messaging and integrate empathy into your campaigns going forward.
Overall, if you position your product and service as a palliative activity to establish a feeling of support and genuine care for the humanity of the reader, you will be well received. Fundamentally, your customers are looking for normalcy and community, even at a “social distance.”
Emanuel Rose is the founder of StrategiceMarketing.com and has over 20 years of business experience in sales and marketing. He has extensive experience designing, managing, and optimizing marketing campaigns to generate sales growth and is driven to achieve results by focusing on the customer first. Along with being obsessed with your marketing results, Emanuel is a fly fisherman.