It's almost impossible to underestimate the impact of the coronavirus crisis on businesses of all shapes and sizes and in all sectors. But as well as having repercussions for our operations and how we reach our clients, it has also affected our customers. They've been through – and are still going through – an experience that has reshaped their professional and domestic lives, has changed their spending habits (potentially long term) and created new emotional challenges that may have far-reaching consequences for how they interact with brands and the messages they want to hear. So, what might coronavirus mean for the profiles of the target clients you are trying to reach – and how might this impact your digital marketing strategy?
For digital marketing strategies to be effective, they need to connect with your target customers. You may have had a very good idea who that was pre-pandemic, but their lockdown experiences may mean a rethink for your digital marketing. Here are just a few examples of how the coronavirus restrictions might have affected your target clients and some steps you might take to address them; working through the impact of coronavirus on your ideal client avatars as we have done will help you adjust your strategies so they remain relevant, empathetic and targeted.
B2C (consumer-facing business) avatar, example 1: the working parent
If your ideal client is a working parent, they may well still be juggling home schooling while also working from home. They’ve got less time than ever – and potentially a shorter fuse than ever. Clearly, a continuation of your old digital marketing content and tone will sound out of touch, out-dated and might put them off your brand. Realigning this customer’s avatar to reflect the new stress and time constraints they face will have repercussions across the digital marketing strategies you employ to reach and appeal to them:
- Messaging: One obvious way to realign your marketing with your customer’s revised persona would be to change the messaging that you are putting out to them. For example, you might offer some free learning materials to keep the kids preoccupied for a couple of minutes to show that you understand the demands and strains on them; this doesn’t need to be complex, it could be as simple as a dot-to-dot for a younger child, or a cupcake recipe for slightly older children. Similarly, you might need to keep your messaging clear and concise, recognising the new time constraints on this demographic.
- Platforms: You might even find that the platforms you reach these target clients on has changed, as they now spend their days dancing in TikTok videos, providing you with another avenue to reach them.
- Timing: Ordinarily, the key times to contact this demographic would be during the commuter hours; however, with many parents still at home making breakfast at this time during COVID restrictions, this window is no longer applicable. Instead, you might find that your ideal client is digitally active in the late afternoon when their children are finally settling down to watch a movie. Pinpointing the ever-changing needs of your target audience is a quick and easy way to ensure your online marketing strategies remain relevant.
B2C (consumer-facing business) avatar, example 2: the self-isolating grandparent
If this is your target customer, they’ve had their whole world change dramatically within the past few months and therefore your digital marketing strategies will need to adjust to reflect this:
- Offering support: You might want to make your online strategy revolve around creating a community and offering support to your would-be customers to offset the loneliness of their last few months.
- Getting social: Although lockdown has had many negative implications, it may have also increased your ability to connect with your target demographic, who may have recently converted to social media in a bid to remain connected to their outside world, especially their families.
B2B (business facing company), example 1: clients with reduced budgets
If your clients have suffered reduced cashflow and greater business uncertainty, they’re less likely to want to take-up or continue a contract with you:
- Show how you add value: More than ever, an immediate or short-term return on investment will be a key factor that your customers will consider when deciding whether to do business with you. Your online messaging therefore needs to reflect the value that you will add to their business, ensuring they’re aware of the benefits that come with taking up your service.
- Solve their problems: Positioning your expertise to solve your targets’ problems will also be important. It might be worthwhile providing some of your expert knowledge for free, for example through white papers, ‘how to’ videos or webinars, promoted through your social media platforms. Your aim is to ensure the client knows of your position as an expert within your given field, making them more likely to look to you as a potential solution for their problems.
B2B (business facing company), example 2: your clients are rushed off their feet
If you’re a professional services firm, some of your ideal clients will fall into the category above, but others will never have been busier than during the coronavirus crisis. Human Resources experts, Health & Safety advisers and PPE suppliers have barely had a day off since before lockdown began:
- Adapt your rhetoric: People in these sectors will want to know what you can do to make their headaches go away. Your messaging will need to be clear, concise and focused on getting them through this busy season.
- Create time for them: They have less time than ever – what can you do to give them their time back? They will want to know the answers to these questions, and they haven’t got the time to dig hard for them!
Coronavirus has impacted all businesses – both business and consumer facing – but it’s also impacted the lives and outlooks of your target clients. To ensure that your digital marketing strategy reaches your potential audiences and remains relevant to them, you will need to adapt it to reflect their changed experiences and expectations.
Eonic take the time to fully understand and research your ideal client avatar, as part of our discovery process – to find new and improved strategies to engage with your clients, post lockdown, get in touch today.