Keeping your marketing house tidy during COVID-19 (Update #2)

Don’t worry, we’re not actually here to talk about socks. But, we do want to talk about housekeeping, because now is a great time to clean your baseboards (we’ll explain).
 
In most cases, people – and brands – do just enough housekeeping on a regular basis to keep things looking tidy.

But every once in awhile, you’ve got to do the deep clean, and now is the perfect time. While you may have suspended or postponed major campaigns, think about ways you can get yourself better set up for the future:

• Revisit your strategic marketing plans: Is it time for a change?
• Look deep into your CRM databases: When was the last time you cleaned it up?
• Evaluate your brand identity: Is it time for an update or refresh?
• Analyze your audience: Do you have personas? Is it time to revisit them?
• Audit your website: Does your content need a refresh?

Keep up the communication

We’ve stressed to our partners that now is not a time to go dark. In the U.S., we’ve seen great examples of brands figuring out creative ways to stay top of mind.

• Guinness made sure they were still synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day, even though public celebrations all over the globe were canceled.
• In Chicago, the Shedd Aquarium is closed, but that didn’t stop them from showing off the museum experience from the eyes of some beloved residents.
• Las Vegas has literally gone dark – but their latest campaign video made sure everyone knows they will be ready for you when lights go back on.

Brands have not only pivoted their messaging to be relevant and appropriate, but in many cases, we are seeing pivots on actual business models. High end steakhouses selling their steaks for people to cook at home. Whiskey distilleries making hand sanitizer for hospitals, nursing homes and the community, both in the U.S. and New Zealand.

In a time of crisis, everyone wants information from trusted sources. That doesn’t mean you should be sharing health and safety information – leave that to the experts. But, you’ve given your audience confidence for a specific reason, so think about why they trust you. Acknowledge what’s going on in the world, and then show them how to continue engaging with your brand.

Looking forward is critical

We know you are worried about what the future holds, which is exactly why you need to be invested in your future plans now.

Do you have a plan in place for not if, but WHEN everything bounces back? There’s no telling when it will happen, but it will. And if you’ve put everything on hold, you’ll most certainly be behind when everyone is ready to get back out there. People around the globe are dreaming of travel. We know this because we’re seeing an uptick in visits to travel websites and for downloads of travel guides. Which means they are getting ready for their Next First Trip.

So, join them in looking forward.
 

As for us...

As for us at TimeZoneOne, our teams in North America and New Zealand are used to working at a distance, collaborating on projects from opposite sides of the world.

This week we're moving on to the next phase. Our North American teams moved to working from home last week, and on Monday, our New Zealand teams will do the same.

But throughout, we're here and ready to support you in any way we can. We'll continue updates via email, social and on our website in the coming days and weeks. If you'd like us to discuss anything in particular, or would like help with anything else, we're only an email or phone call away.