“There is no education like adversity,” said British politician and writer Benjamin Disraeli. While we may not be eager to happen upon them, difficult times can result in growth, insights, and opportunities — as long as we’re open to learning and adapting. The past year-plus has been incredibly challenging for all kinds of businesses, but it also unveiled greater awareness around the value of strong, meaningful relationships with customers — and the benefits for both sides.
Even as business slowly returns to “normal,” the reality is that the landscape is anything but. Many companies are still in recovery mode, and customers are still feeling uncertain as well. This is no time for complacency or inaction. Future brand growth and success depend on cultivating the foundation of trust and credibility built over these trying months.
But how? A strategic approach to marketing that incorporates what we’ve learned over the last year and continues to emphasize agility and flexibility in the face of changing conditions is key. Here’s how to make sure the opportunity to further your brand’s future doesn’t slip away.
Prep for the Next Generation of Marketing
Customers’ needs might be changing, but they still depend on you to anticipate and solve those needs at every stage of their journey. Smart, strategic marketing fosters those important connections with customers and focuses on mental availability (the likelihood that your brand will come to mind when they’re ready to buy).
To do that, think about how your audience’s priorities have changed and how content can generate positive brand associations at this transitional moment. These are a few guidelines based on shifts we’ve noticed in consumer expectations over the last year or so.
- Incorporating emotions, generosity, and humor in your messaging appeals to audiences today. Acknowledging our common humanity goes a long way toward nurturing goodwill and strongly resonates with customers.
- Create video content with a more empathetic angle. Brands are increasingly turning to this format to convey personal rapport and connection with customers, while also engaging them in a more visual and immersive way.
- Continue to invest in social media content. Since the pandemic began, use of these platforms rose 21% worldwide, according to Statista. This data suggests social channels are a source customers look to in confusing times, especially when they’re already in the habit of doing so. Social media also offers an opportunity to learn what’s on the minds of your audience, and what kinds of content they are engaging with most.
- Re-evaluate your ads for relevance. Conditions are changing fast, and what worked even three months ago may be ineffective today. Is your audience venturing back out for events and in-person meetings? Are they still working from home or going back to the office? Has the state of their industry changed significantly? Understanding where your customers are at, both professionally and mentally, can help ensure your messages hit the spot.
Rock Your Content
Planning and deploying marketing content strategically is essential for optimizing resources and efficiency. A strategy that involves creating a block of strong content that you can chisel into smaller pieces and package across different formats — what we call the Big Rock foundation — not only is more efficient but also provides more value for your audience.
For example, the same information can be delivered in different ways:
- Video to appeal to more visual customers
- Ebooks, reports, and whitepapers for those who appreciate in-depth information
- Blog posts and emails for those who prefer their content to be scannable and bite-sized
- Social media posts to attract new scanning feed-surfers
By delivering relevant, trusted, and brand-aligned content in different formats, you can reach a wider range of existing and potential customers as they navigate their own recovery — making it more likely that they’ll convert in the future.
Do Business Where Business Is Done
LinkedIn is an ideal platform for engaging audiences with informative, helpful, and professionally-focused information because members expect and welcome such content. Folks on LinkedIn are actively looking for ideas and solutions that can help them work more productively and effectively.
From thought leadership posts to industry-specific conversations, LinkedIn helps you meet your audience where they are, whether you’re focused on building brand awareness, garnering consideration, or driving lead generation. We offer a full range of tools to help you make connections with your potential customers at all stages of the marketing funnel — which in turn makes their decision to buy much easier.
Secure the future of your brand with an approach to marketing fit for the new era: Check out our course in LinkedIn Marketing Labs, Using LinkedIn for Brand Awareness, for more practical guidance. Also, download the infographic: Take Steps Now for the Future of Your Brand .
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