Be a Solution. Not a Sheeple.

When Times Are Tough, Don’t be a Sheeple Marketer

We will probably all remember March 2020. Sadly, due to COVID-19, and not for pleasant reasons. I pray that everyone is staying safe and staying home as much as possible.

As a marketer, this has been a weird time. From my perspective, many of us ad-world-types have actually stayed really busy, trying to help our clients navigate the waters and simply keep their business afloat. But the day to day has been a hell of a lot different. No more copy/pasting that same media buy from last month.

If nothing else, times like this force us to think differently. Get scrappier. Find loopholes. Literally get outside the office norm. And test the bounds of creativity. Which brings me to the main point …

Lazy: Giving deep discounts because “times are tough”

Smart: Solving a real problem for these unique, “tough times”

Lazy marketing is sticking to your guns. Thinking about your business internally, and not understanding the challenges your customers are facing. Look, this is an easy trap to fall into. “Money is tight for our customers, so we need to race to the bottom and give them the best deal.” Well maybe. But maybe that ‘discount product’ is pretty damn low on the priority list right now.

You should stop and seriously consider that your message of “tough time deals” may be falling on deaf ears. Or worse, are you causing your current customers to think twice about buying from a business that is seemingly ignoring the world around them?

Smart marketing is creating a new reason for your customers to buy. Taking the time to offer a solution for the situation, and communicating that solution clearly and simply. Maybe it’s something as simple as unique kids meal options for working moms that are now juggling conference calls and kiddos at home. Or a process for giving virtual tours for homes and apartment communities. Or maybe it’s something that will require serious investment, to build a new tool or experience. Restaurant POS systems, like toast, are giving away online ordering capabilities to their customers to help them survive. Not a bad idea.

That simple change in approach makes all the difference. Your solution might not be perfect, but just having one shows that your brand is real and relatable.

Whichever way you go, I have no doubt that your investment in solving this new and temporary customer pain point will pay-off 10X. You probably won’t “get rich quick.” You may be happy to simply break-even during these tough times. But your customers will remember that you took the time to care, and that will pay-off in the long run.

Until next time,
Chris