by Damaris Nyabuti
For the past week, schools and other learning institutions have remained shutdown, several countries have gone on lockdown-closing their borders indefinitely, businesses are working from home, events and gatherings have been made illegal and thus cancelled and soon so many other establishments will be forced into closure. All of this will have a detrimental impact on the economy. Hence, until this quarantine period is over, businesses globally must be aware of how to correctly market their goods and services.
Working during this period of uncertainty and panic owing to the unfamiliar coronavirus COVID-19 is not a simple task. It is necessary that brands and companies have the right approach, content and tone when marketing during a pandemic like this one.
Majority of business’ customers, audiences and clients will be quarantined inside their homes as they keep up on the news updates about the virus locally and globally: and that's where the business's focus should be, on their publics.
Through leadership and visibility, it should be key for brands and companies to improve on their credibility and trustworthiness with currents and potential clients. Don’t stop providing services because of the pandemic, adapt to cater for the publics’ needs, show them you care and want to serve them, just with better precautions and same efficiency.
Focus attention on Customers and Digital Marketing.
In this highly networked and technological age, establishments must prioritize the use and advantages of digital marketing. Ensuring that your business is equipped for receiving and transmitting high quality messages through the preferred medium to and from your clients is necessary. This way your clients and customers are always in touch with you. Furthermore, it is important to show that your company is aware of the current situations around, by ensuring that the tone of your social media posts reflect the tone of the current environment, without compromising your company's values.
Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) has excelled during this period of crisis. They have kept active on their social media pages, answering questions their audiences have asked, while still updating them on the pandemic and the precautions they have taken to ensure the people’s safety. In this dark time, they also share rays of hope, from still celebrating the greatness of nature to stating that their services are opened for the public with their health and safety as their main priority.
Reflect the change you want to see: lead by example.
A great way for a business to show that it prioritizes the public’s health and needs is to continue providing their services with even more efficiency, possibly by expanding their services. A lot of food establishments have begun to embrace delivery. Noting that there will be an increase in home delivery due to the quarantine, most establishments have either increased their delivery persons or started hiring them.
Amazon, who spearheaded this initiative has been fairing off well since they increased the number of delivery people both part time and full time to cater to the sudden increase in home deliveries. They further took into consideration their employees' health by implementing precautions to ensure their health, like providing them with medical masks, gloves and regular check ups.
Businesses are implementing precautionary measures to ensure their customers and their safety, while efficiently working. What is your business doing?
Damaris Nyabuti is a seasoned mentor, respected lecturer, businesswoman, philanthropist and the Founder and Managing Director of Dharkemmy Corporate Communications Limited. With a decade of management service and experience providing state of the art media and communication strategy to corporates, governments and NGOs both in Africa and abroad, Damaris has built a reputation as a leading authority in the communications field in Africa and has been named one of Africa’s 100 Most Influential communication experts. Damaris holds a BA in Journalism and Media Studies from the University of Nairobi, MBA in Global Business Sustainability- Social Entrepreneurship from Universita Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore form Italy Milan, MSC in Business Psychology from South Wales University in Australia; currently pursuing her PHD in Diplomacy from the University of Nairobi.