3 Tips on Marketing In The Pandemic

When the world goes through huge changes fast, those who adapt quickly are the ones who come through: that’s why marketing in the pandemic is critical for small businesses. With that in mind, here are some tips for marketing in these stressful times:

Marketing In The Pandemic Tip 1: Offer a product or service people now need or want because of the pandemic

The pandemic has changed priorities in terms of what’s now needed. Some items are no longer in demand, while demand for other products and services is skyrocketing. Items that are now in high demand because of the pandemic include: Backyard swimming pools, home exercise equipment, cooking gear, cook books, Netflix subscriptions, container gardens, flower and vegetable seeds, yard ornaments, and more. Review your offerings and determine if there’s something your business offers that’s particularly needed or wanted for people’s changed priorities. This could be something people truly need or something people want to help them survive the isolation of lockdowns and being stuck in their homes for weeks on end.

Example: ChristmasDesigners.com Patio Lights Promotion

Lockdowns are still the norm in some places, and many people sheltering in place want their homes & backyards to be more hospitable. One of the quickest ways to brighten up a backyard is to add patio lights. Christmas Designers is banking on this by aggressively marketing its wide array of patio lights. In addition, this Christmas lighting company is offering promotional prices of these desired items to increase their sales.

Marketing In The Pandemic Tip 2: Chunk your offerings into smaller price points

I’ve addressed this before but it bears repeating because it’s an effective strategy for these times. Simply put, most customers & prospects will either have less money to spend, or be unwilling to let go of precious cash in hard times. But they may still need what you have to offer. When that’s the case, you can spur sales by breaking your offerings into smaller increments with lower price points.

Example: Renewal by Anderson Windows Buy-What-You-Need Promotion

In the old days, Renewal by Anderson wouldn’t consider doing a job for you unless you had a certain amount you would spend or you wanted ALL your windows replaced. They took the big jobs and left the smaller jobs for other window manufacturers. However, in the past month, this company has been running ads saying they’ll assess your windows and only replace the ones that really need replacing. This drops the cost of the window replacement job and helps spur sales. Renewal by Anderson’s new strategy is to get more smaller jobs, rather than holding out for the big ones.

Marketing In The Pandemic Tip 3: Make lemonade out of lemons

If an item is in high demand, businesses can make lemonade out of lemons by offering a special version of that item. A special version could be a special theme or color, have a special message on it, and more.

Example: Cloth Masks Promotions

Many cities & states now have mandates that people wear masks out in public. Some folks are wearing disposable masks. Some are making their own out of bandanas and pillow cases. As a result of the mandate to wear masks in public, a whole new industry is springing up to provide interesting cloth masks that are a reflection of the wearer. It’s been decades since seamstresses with Singer sewing machines have been in such demand. Facebook has been particularly lit up with ads for amazing face masks. Some masks are being marketed because they offer great colors and beautiful fabrics. Some highlight a special breed of dog or a popular wild animal such as a dolphin. Some masks are themed to favorite sports teams…and more. The point is: people are being told they have to wear masks. As a result, many people are investing in beautifully designed cloth masks that appeal to them for any number of reasons.

Buying Tip: Etsy.com is a craft website where people sell hand-made items. They offer a tremendous array of cloth masks made by seamstresses in the USA.

There are many ways small businesses can work to survive the pandemic. One of the key ways to do this is to continue to market products & services, and focus on the offerings that are most needed & wanted right now. When marketing in a pandemic, focus your campaigns on items people need or want, break down your offerings into lower price points, and consider offering a special version of an item that’s now mandated.

Need help with marketing or PR strategy, or marketing in the pandemic? Contact DeWinter Marketing & PR – Denver to boost your brand & generate leads.