We have all been locked up in our homes and most of us choose to spend this time by having some type of screens in front of us. Be it our phones or laptops or the not so idiot box- Television.

What we don’t see is that these are the times when we are creating opportunity for several businesses. As brands we need to understand that if we miss on reaching out to our customers at the right time in the right place, we miss out on our customers. 

While the government declared a lockdown and the country coming to a shutdown, it is obvious that the country’s economic activity is affected adversely. But not all’s lost yet. Brands still have the capability to get out of the crisis.

Yes, of course with the lesser opportunities of commerce the rules of the game have changed. With this experience, humans are going to be stepping away from the ‘Just in Time’ approach towards a new approach that has arisen during the pandemic – ‘Always before Time’.

Marketers can leverage this opportunity and gain momentum by selling to their consumers for the future. As consumers, it has been a difficult time of making sure that you have everything in stock. As for brands, this could be your trump card to leverage upon.

As we hopefully move away towards safer grounds, it looks like e-commerce is going to be taking up all over again but with the ‘Always before Time’ approach. An additional catch that is likely to occur is ‘Localization’. People are more likely to buy local products and might be inclined towards buying products that are associated with local values and identities. Here, brand building would be essential to all brands. 

So, how do we deal with marketing in the times of a pandemic?

Focus on:

• Advertising on Messaging Apps:
  

Many reports have observed a surge in the usage of messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. This is highly indicative of the fact that Messaging Apps are the hot plate at the moment and it is the best time to run your ads on the same. So, what are you waiting for?

• Create current and sensitive content:
  

We all understand that this is the time when the entire world is separate yet united. People are in a sensitive spot and it’s time for brands to help create awareness, spread the right information and sensitize people about the situation. Content should ideally be current, relevant, selling but most importantly Sensitive. 

• Invest in long term marketing like SEO:

As a brand, it is imperative to have a long term strategy and a short term strategy. While we are creating current content that could be our short term strategy but the long term strategy could be search engine optimisation! This would help brands to be involved with their audience in the long haul. It also creates a safety net for brands to be in the consumer’s eye as a solution to the problem of their need. 

• Reach out to influencers:

Pandemics can affect people’s productivity. There are times when we barely move out of our beds or laze around the house during the day and go back to our beds. Productivity suffers the most. For many influencers, this is a nightmare because laziness is not the best pal of their work. This is the right time for brands to make relations with influencers and also run sensitive campaigns that help building awareness.

• OTT Marketing

Okay, accept it that you have been watching your favourite show even during work hours. Little do you know that you are making opportunities for brands when you do this. OTT marketing could prove to be the most efficient at the moment as everyone is sitting in front of the screen with their popcorn all the time!

As marketers, we would suggest an amalgamation of the current strategies and these new development strategies for the growth of your business! Don’t let your business get quarantined, get up and act!