With so much changing in the world, day by day and even minute by minute, sticking to the marketing plan you created for 2020 might seem far-fetched. You’re not alone and in fact, following that marketing strategy you created by the book probably isn’t the best approach. If there is anything we’ve learned during the coronavirus pandemic, it’s that things change rapidly. That being said, so must our marketing strategies.

As a full-service video production and digital marketing agency, we have seen first hand the affects that COVID has caused many industries. More specifically, we have seen how it has affected their online advertising budgets and marketing plans. Creating a marketing strategy post COVID-19 needs a new and innovative approach. An approach that is customer-focused and backed by real-time data and research. Developing a marketing strategy to help build trust and confidence around your brand is essential and more importantly, this strategy needs a foward-thinking and proactive perspective. Here’s a few things to consider when creating or re-strategizing your business marketing plan.

Customer behaviors are changing and will continue to change for years to come as we deal with the repercussions of COVID. With more people working from home or who experienced working from home during the stay-at-home orders across the world, it’s safe to say consumer buying patterns have altered. And because of this, we have a bright and shiny opportunity right in front of us to take advantage of.

Now more than ever we must anticipate consumer needs. Brands need to be putting themselves ten steps ahead of the consumer and focus on creating more meaningful interactions. Real-time analytics and data should be the number one tool in your toolbox. Developing strategies based on this data will create more personalized interactions which, in turn, will allow your customers to feel like they are heard and that your brand provides relevant content.

Plain and simple, creating a marketing strategy post COVID-19 needs special attention on customer behavior, trends, and needs. Focus on building relationships and interactions with an individual of your audience, not the audience as a whole.

Staying ahead of the curve is your best weapon. Knowing your market and consumer needs is the best way to meet market demands and win in your industry. Implementing a proactive approach is more than just analyzing consumer behaviors, it’s getting your team on board too. Empower your employees to adopt a proactive mindset and encourage them to think outside of the box.

Supporting and empowering your staff and team will encourage them to constantly be on the lookout for new and innovative strategies. This day in age, especially post COVID, brands who are evolving, adapting, being innovative, and have compassion for their customers will succeed.

So, company wide, adopt a proactive approach to understand what changes are happening and how they are happening. In order to meet the needs of consumers, a foward-thinking and proactive plan is essential.

With the rise of social media platforms like Instagram (specifically IGTV), TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook Watch, having video content is the new norm. In fact, everyday people watch one billion hours of videos on YouTube and generate billions of views. These numbers increase every day and more so when people are working from home and online all day.

When businesses ask us how to create a marketing strategy, our first answer is always developing a video production marketing plan that will engage and convert their audience. The data and numbers don’t lie, video content generates more engagement than any other type of content online. So, whether it’s creating a corporate video to help walk through your new initiatives as a company or an animated explainer video guiding customers through your services or products, professional video production must be at the top of your list.

There are so many types of videos to utilize when reworking your marketing strategy. The most important factor to remember though is that video content can be used for years. Not only that, video production content is great to have on your website, on your social media channels, and even in your email marketing campaigns.

Want to build trust with your customers? Provide useful and helpful content rather than just simply selling them on your services. When building a marketing strategy post COVID, it’s important to remember some consumers will be hesitant and skeptical. How they used to shop and purchase goods has completely shifted.

Brands need to focus on instilling confidence with their customers rather than showing off the next best product or service. This means putting the customer first and going above and beyond to help them. Being empathetic and prioritizing customer experience will help your brand stand out and help you generate a loyal customer base.

Analyzing, understanding, implementing, and reworking based on consumers’ new buying habits will help you create a digital marketing strategy that is effective. As people are shifting to online mediums, we must follow in the same direction. Virtually engaging with your audience is key to a successful marketing strategy, and more importantly, successful business.

From social media platforms, Google ads, YouTube ads, email marketing campaigns, and many more, it’s crucial now more than ever to reach customers where they are. Digital marketing trends change year over year but one thing that doesn’t change is the importance of having a strong online presence.

Last but certainly not least, simplify the process for potential consumers! Times have changed and as mentioned earlier, so must our processes. Reconsider the buying funnel and focus on making the buying journey a little bit easier for your customers. Time is of the essence and that’s even more important when a potential consumer is researching your offerings. Having a poor website experience like slow loading times or making it impossible to find what they are looking for is one way to drive customers away, quick.

Take a good look at your business website, as well as your social media channels, and make the customer experience easier. By simplifying the way consumers find you, purchase from you, and even get in contact with you will ensure they become a repeat visitor.