Lauren is the CEO of S&G, a content marketing agency that helps brands connect and engage more effectively with their audience.
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The 2020 pandemic has forced many business leaders to throw their business plans and operating models out the window. Some of us have proactively embraced new opportunities associated with remote work in a digital-first landscape, while others have struggled to adapt.
As of now, it’s unclear what 2021 will look like. Though parts of our lives will inevitably return to normal, here are four marketing learning lessons that my team and I will bring with us in the years to come.
Operate With Empathy
Everyone — our employees, clients and clients’ customers — is dealing with a bucketload of stress, uncertainty and fatigue right now. It’s not easy to juggle work, familial and pandemic responsibilities, all while having to isolate ourselves from our loved ones.
It’s clear that in times of crisis, marketing messaging that exudes empathy is the most effective. But this empathy must transcend messaging. For B2C brands, being empathetic might mean extending return windows, understanding that people might be making fewer trips to the post office. For B2B companies, this might mean providing prospects with useful insights relevant to their current challenges, rather than bombarding them with sales materials.
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For us, the work we’ve crafted for our clients not only acknowledges the struggles that their audiences are facing but also supports them in some way. Gone are the days of self-serving content — it’s been replaced with pro tips, actionable resources, or bites of entertainment. Embracing empathy has helped propel our clients to a position where their customers view them as a reliable partner, rather than merely a B2B vendor.
But operating with empathy requires taking the time to understand your prospects’ desires, challenges, and priorities. Before you can forge a genuine connection, you need to conduct research, analyze data and develop insights. It’s about asking them what they need so that you can deliver appropriately (rather than forcing your product upon them).
Dare To Be Political
It’s easy to preach that modern companies must be mission-driven to succeed. After all, today’s top brands have defined themselves by aligning with causes that expand beyond their bottom line — from social justice and racial equality (Nike) to supporting small businesses (American Express). They then share these causes with their customers, communities, employees and business stakeholders. Meanwhile, companies that have stayed mum about hot issues in our current political climate have been accused of being out of touch. It pays off to put your money where your mouth is: 64% of consumers make purchasing decisions based on brands’ politics and social positions.
Here at S&G, we’ve never been afraid to speak up, and we’ve encouraged our partners to do the same. Earlier this year, we matched our employees’ donations to Black Lives Matter funds. On November 3, we gave everyone the day off to vote. Being open about the causes we support has allowed us to operate bolder and get our partners on board with our passions.
In a time when everything feels politicized, it can be nerve-racking to take a stance. But remember: Big bets often lead to big wins in the form of brand equity. People remember the businesses that have supported them and their communities during challenging times, which can go a long way.
Embrace Digital Channels
As marketers, we’ve seen companies without a robust digital infrastructure and presence struggle majorly earlier in the year, when viable sales tactics like wine-and-dine networking events and trade shows disappeared overnight. Since then, the digital space has become noisier than ever, and it’s increasingly challenging to find new ways to differentiate your company online.
Digitized selling is an art and science, all in one. It requires melding creativity with strategic thinking based on human behavior. Nowadays, you have to delight customers at every single touch point of the funnel (which needs to be seamless, by the way). Today’s top brands have leveraged novel digital marketing tactics — they’re driving demand by hosting virtual roundtables, developing more online content, and connecting with potential audiences worldwide through engaging digital activities. Whether it’s experimenting with TikTok or doubling down on creating a Facebook community, communicating with audiences on different digital channels is worth your time and effort.
Pro Tip: While you’re exploring different platforms, don’t neglect your one truly owned asset (and best salesperson): your website. Make sure it’s optimized to capture leads and execute sales.
Do Not Be Afraid To Pivot
Before the pandemic, many of our competitors had defined themselves as “a marketing agency for the hospitality industry” or “a PR firm for luxury products.” Unsurprisingly, when people stopped traveling and purchasing expensive nonessentials, all these adjacent companies floundered.
Companies of any size need to stay fast and nimble so that they can pivot to new products, markets, income streams and audiences if the need arises. At S&G, our clients range from B2B manufacturers to martech platforms. Being industry agnostic helps us spread out our risk, but it also gives us a wide breadth of experience to draw from so that we’re constantly able to bring new, innovative ideas to the table for our clients.
During this pandemic, our agency has become more resilient. Our team has grown closer. We all became better marketers. Don’t get me wrong — there were many moments of uncertainty and worry, but ultimately, the challenges we faced were, in actuality, opportunities in disguise (and for that, we’re incredibly grateful).
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Author: Lauren Fairbanks, Forbes Councils Member
