Strategic Marketing During Covid-19

Current situation:

• Fear of traveling
• Cancellation of events
• Meeting expenses with no immediate income
• Mass cancellations, rebooking, refunds, etc.
• SBA loan funds have been exhausted

Keep in mind

• Communication is important
• Marketing is effective
• This crisis will pass

How do you make your marketing communications relevant and effective?

Text Messaging: The next level of marketing
Promotional texts

• Can create the marketing texts, just like emails
• Texts can be automated
• Much higher view rate
• Customer can unsubscribe at any time

1. Determine your audience

• Not everyone in your marketing email database may need to hear from you
• Most people are already swamped with COVID-19 related emails
• Make sure the message applies
• Consider sending different emails to different segments of your database
• Tailor messages to segments based on need
• If you are sending a message most relevant to those that are currently booked, those that have not stayed with you in five years do not need to get that email.
• Use ResNexus' Interest Groups. Our marketing builder can create interest groups ot be able to organize/segment your email marketing database

2. Keep emails short and to the point
People don't need to read anymore. Long, text-rich emails will most likely get lost in the shuffle. Use intelligent formatting:

• Highlighted titles
• Bulleted key points
• Pictures
• Infographics

Help your contacts/customers easily determine the key points of the email. They can pick and choose which key points to read more in depth.

3. Ensure effective email subject lines

• Email subject lines should be clear and simple
• Be careful when embellishing your subject lines with cute emojis or funny puns or catch phrases
• Make it clear to the customer what is inside the email

4. Express Empathy

• Empathy builds relations, loyalty and impacts performance.
• Acknowledge the current stressful time. Many people are hurting right now, and that's okay to acknowledge.
• Project a tone of solidarity. Avoid giving your opinion regarding the situation. Avoid jokes that may be over the top. Error on the side of caution.

5. Express optimism

• Focusing too heavily on the negative could end up increasing your customer's fears
• Provide a calm and confident tone
• Look to build the confidence of your customers

6. Only send relevant information
DO NOT send out COVID-19 emails just to be able to say you've sent a COVID-19 email. Determine what information you can provide that will be relevant to your customers (Are you still open? Hours of operation? Is your restaurant open?). Highlight ways you're benefiting the community. Continue to update customers as things change.

7. Highlight your emphasis on cleanliness and safety
If you are open, highlight actions you are taking to support the health, safety and wellbeing of your community, such as increased cleaning, grab-and-go breakfast or facility changes. Look for ways to ensure your customers and employees that you take the situation seriously and safety is your top priority.

8. Avoid the appearance of profiteering
No two people react the same way during a crisis. What some see as useful or humorous, others see as pointless or offensive. Use sensitive language to avoid situations that may hurt, offend or make customers believe you're trying to profit from the crisis. Example: Do not push a promotion for 19% off with the code COVID19.

9. Don't abandon marketing
Avoiding profiteering doesn't mean abandoning all marketing efforts. Ensure your marketing outreach benefits the customer and how your business is legitimately helping during this time.

• The safest way for businesses to respond to the crisis is to mitigate it.
• There is overlap between looking good and doing good
• I.E. your marketing looks like it was actually benign done as a benefit or service during difficult times

Successful campaigns have included promoting "stay-cations," offering customers a way to safely self-isolate while still affording them the opportunity to leave their house

Airbnb Research

If you want to see information about Airbnb's research during the pandemic, check out our webinar here.