In these uncertain times, here is how we have been supporting our clients to adapt and survive.
In the blink of an eye coronavirus has changed the world. Social distancing is the best way to contain the spread of the disease, but it comes at a price. Jobs are uncertain, the economy is in recession, schools are closed – suddenly life is very, very different.
As a business owner you may be wondering how to navigate this new landscape, and a good place to start is the 4P’s of marketing – Price, Product, Place and Promotion.
We’ve been working closely with our purpose-based clients on how they can adapt their marketing while not making any communications blunders on the way.
Promotion – be careful what you share
This is the first global pandemic with internet access, and while that’s great for the light relief provided by #coronamemes, it’s also a breeding ground for fake news. Misinformation is increasingly hard to spot, and can be downright dangerous.
Our client The Printing Charity offers a range of services, one being their sheltered homes for elderly retired print workers. They knew that their audience would trust what the organisation said in response to the crisis. Rather than attempting to understand and regurgitate ever-changing information, they signposted to regularly updated sites from the NHS and gov.uk.
By pinning this information to the top of their channels they knew they could be a useful source of reliable information. They then paused their regular posting, and are now concentrating on providing consistent, informative and respectful content while the lock-down continues. This is good for their brand long-term, emphasising the charity’s considerate and supportive personality.
Product and Price – adapt your service for genuine good
You have probably been receiving multiple emails from companies desperate for your custom. Sometimes overly sincere, sometimes completely tone-deaf, communications like these are unlikely to hit home right now, and could cost you if your audience hits unsubscribe en-masse.
This crisis is altering people’s lives, as people lose their jobs, worry about the health of their loved ones, or struggle with social isolation. Sales aren’t a sin, but they shouldn’t be the priority. Instead, consider how you can adapt your products or prices to create genuinely good publicity that lasts until the pandemic is over and beyond.
Welldoing.org is a therapist directory and is doing just that. They approached their therapists with the idea of offering discounted or free therapy for NHS workers currently under extreme pressure. Such a response does not generate income but makes brand sense, and has allowed them to help people in need while reaching new audiences.
Place – beaming services into peoples homes
Everyone has been instructed to stay home, changing the methods by which we reach our audiences. If you weren’t online before, you may now be scrabbling to make your business digital.
Our client, the Bromley by Bow Centre, is a community hub and health centre combined, offering an array of services from support groups to careers advice to gardening. Having to shut the premises was devastating, because for many local people, attending Centre services is vital to their health and happiness.
Now people can no longer meet in person, the Centre has changed how some services are delivered. We worked with their Insights team on how they could connect with families with young children, online.
We built a brand new online resource full of activities and tips in double quick time, and by linking it to a Facebook group we’re hoping to create a platform for community spirit even in the midst of social isolation. The group connects families and shares information on how to stay healthy and entertained during this crisis.
Good Beans is a creative marketing agency for purpose-driven organisations. Want to reach more people? Contact us.