How COVID-19 is Affecting Advertising & Marketing

Will the world stop turning because of COVID-19? Certainly not! Should you pause your advertising and marketing...well maybe. That all depends on if it is on-site retail or not. Are people watching more TV, scrolling social media, accessing information online, including visiting your website, ABSOLUTELY! Maybe it's time to build your brand (more people are at home watching tv, including local media). With media inventory high, the cost may be lower, so it would be a good idea to take advantage of it.

As the virus pandemonium continues, your website, and its functionality, becomes the most critical part of your business - informing clients of policies, procedures and hours of operation. If you have an in-store promotion and advertisement running to support the promotion - then it's time to pause it for at least two weeks, but remember, sometimes it takes a few weeks for the advertising to begin to show results.

COVID-19 has caused many businesses to think differently, all is not lost! We see a lot of retail companies limiting access to both their online and brick-and-mortar locations. Non-profits are losing funds as the thought of giving disappears. People are afraid to go outside, deliveries are slowing down, and much more. However, all is not lost.

This is the best time for companies and organizations to change their perspective of what is happening. Although your store may be closed, your brand lives on. The pandemic will be over and people are going to need something to go back to. Will your business be one of them? It all depends on what you are doing now.

The goal is to change the message but keep the brand. Let your story continue to be heard. If you are advertising, change the message. If you are closing, make sure to let your current and potential audience know. You can cut back on your advertising dollars, but don't allow them to disappear. This is a time for strategic marketing and the test to see if you truly understand your target audience.

At Stimulus, we have had many clients, both small and large, that are dealing with this crisis calmly and rationally. Our suggestion is to take a deep breath, view the big picture and act accordingly. If you've noticed that your website is lacking, consider giving Stimulus a call and let's discuss how you can deliver a better online presence to your current and potential visitors.

Need help with your advertising? We can assist you with that as well. Let us help you tell your brand story and deliver some strong messages to your loyal customers and fans. Together, we can get through this challenging time and continue to prosper as small businesses and organizations...we are believing that!