Marketing for the New Normal

There’s no question that the novel coronavirus has disrupted the old ways of doing business. It’s brought virtually the entire world to a near-total halt. Consumers aren’t going out to dinner, and aren’t shopping for much beyond the bare essentials of food, medicine and other basic needs.

But what happens once the crisis is over? Once the quarantine is eased, employment increases and people feel more optimistic, they’re going to start buying things again. Is your company ready to adapt to the changes the emergency has created?

There’s no question that the threat of Covid-19 has changed the way we shop, the way we work, the way we gather. Many of those changes are likely to be permanent. Is your marketing plan up to the challenge?

Consider that online shopping for everything from groceries to office supplies has soared since the beginning of the year. Many of those customers might not have ordered online, or not ordered nearly as extensively, before now.

In turn, many brick and mortar stores, forced to close for fear of contagion, might not survive to reopen.

Your customers have become accustomed to ordering items for pickup outside the store, or delivery directly to their doorstep. That’s a major convenience that saves them gas, time and frustration. You can bet your bottom line that’s going to be a permanent change.

To thrive in the new environment, businesses will need a robust online operation all the way around, from website to warehouse to delivery. Buyers have learned to expect accurate, fast response. If your business can’t provide that, fickle customers will find someone else who can.

For example, Office Store A doesn’t offer online ordering or curbside pickup. If you want a new desk chair, you walk into the store, pick it out, and pay for it. You can haul it back to the office yourself, or you can pay extra for delivery and wait for it to arrive.

Office Store B sells the same desk chair, at the same price. But they have a full-featured website that lets the customer select the chair, order and pay for it online, Within an hour, they can pull up to the curb at the store and have the store staff load it into their vehicle. Or they can choose same-day delivery at no extra charge.

Who’s going to get that sale?

Another trend that’s likely to persevere is working from home. With more people than ever doing it now, businesses large and small are discovering benefits to giving employees added flexibility. And with that flexibility comes the power to cope with family matters more effectively. Selling products to the office/home dual market is a must.

NOW is the time to address the changes the “new normal” will bring. Businesses that survive and thrive in the post-coronavirus world need to be nimble enough to respond to new demands from consumers. That requires rethinking your marketing strategy, including your promotional product mix. At Custom Center, we offer a full range of customizable products that can be adapted to fit the new marketing matrix. Call us toll free or fill out our free quote form to find out more.