COVID-19…We Got You, Brands

We are ready and mobilized to make brands the heroes. We have a plan.

Online traffic is spiking across all categories. Consumers are cooped up in their homes looking for virtual ways to engage with the world. Yes, gaming is definitely up, but people also want informative content — they need helpful products and timely services. As we all navigate these crazy times, brands have the opportunity to pivot and be agile in the way they go-to-market.

Consumers are open, ready, and willing to engage, join programs, and opt-in in exchange for immediate value. Whether this includes helpful information on creative ways to use traditional products, smart delivery service options, or innovative ways consumers can entertain themselves and their loved ones (e.g., home exercises, live entertainment, etc.), consumers are here too, well, consume it.

Brands can utilize consumers’ new reliance on immediate information to build consumer trust by engaging with them in new and personalized ways. If you have an existing customer database, think about how you can bring value to your consumers, and what you can say and do to keep your customers informed and engaged — well beyond the obligatory COVID-19 emails that are filling up our inboxes.

Consider bringing your consumers value with content and experiences specifically designed for this time of need. For example, many children are now at home due to school cancellations, and parents are faced with inadequate resources to keep them entertained and educated. Brands can address this customer pain point by providing resources for at-home entertainment with common household materials, such as aluminum foil or plastic cups. Additionally, vulnerable communities have concerns about entering stores during peak hours; consider creating a grab-and-go or delivery option for common health checks such as blood pressure and diabetes.

Another emerging trend is increased social awareness. People are more and more willing to help those most at risk due to COVID-19. Banks can accelerate this surge in empathy by providing financial assistance opportunities, such as donation landing pages, forgiveness of fees incurred by late payments, and partnerships with gig platforms (such as Uber) to connect workers who need income during this time.

By thinking through consumers’ needs, all brands can do better than generic emails with “As a nation, a region, a city, a neighborhood, we’re all working together against the threat of Covid-19.” We can leave the mass blast emails to the news and local officials.

Being consumer-centric and agile during this time will show your customers and the marketplace that you care, that you have something valuable to offer, and that you are quick and able to adapt as a brand, and that will build loyalty and longevity.

Need a hand with all this? We can help you move quickly in this time of need. Whether you have a customer database or not, we can help engage your audience with innovative ideas or build you a new customer database from scratch.

What would we do? Here are just some ideas for you to consider:

• Determine how you can pivot your brand, see what you offer (products or services), and adapt. We have ideas for you.
• You need a standalone experience, dedicated to this time of need. A separate landing page, portal, etc. We will build it.
• Quickly segment your customers (families, students, etc.). What if you don’t have a database? We will build it, quickly!
• Deliver the message. Email is most effective, quick and easy. If you currently don’t have email addresses for your customers — don’t worry. We got you covered, with email addresses, email design, and deployment.
• Yes, you may think you need to get social, get on the social channels and connect with consumers. Yes, it’s likely a good idea, but good luck since everyone is doing it and at some point it is overkill. We will help develop the right balance, save you money and accomplish what you need — directly.
• This crisis is not just a health crisis, but a financial crisis. To that end, everything must be measurable. We have always measured everything we do and connected it to ROI — nothing has changed. We guarantee success.
• Much more to discuss and outline. We are ready and mobilized to make brands heroes in the time of need.

So how should you, as a brand, get started? Don’t wait, because you don’t have time.

Ready to help:
https://medium.com/@havashelia_NA
Michael.Kaushansky@Havas.com