Despite increasingly relaxed restrictions, the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the German and international economies. The major challenge these days is to find solutions and overcome challenges in a targeted manner.
In the second part of our series "Marketing in times of crisis," we would therefore like to go into even more detail and work together to find marketing solutions for your company!
In the second part? That's right! You can find the first part of our series on the question "Why is investing in content marketing so important and worthwhile right now?" here.
Our marketing experts will show you exactly what these marketing solutions can look like and what you need to consider when implementing such processes:
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6 good reasons – You should implement these content processes now
For the following collection of statements, we asked five of Germany's most renowned marketing experts the same question:
"What content and processes are useful in times of crisis?"
This has resulted in five good reasons for investing in content marketing in the near future:
"Flexible processes enable rapid responses to crises."
Especially in times of crisis, it is important to focus on the essentials in content marketing and marketing in general. The focus should be on the real added value of the content for customers and potential prospects. Of course, this depends on the industry, and you should conduct appropriate research and analyze your data to find out what challenges the industry and, more importantly, your customers face in a crisis.
The content offerings that a company provides should therefore specifically address these challenges and potential problems.
Of course, in times of crisis, companies try to cut costs, and marketing is often the first area to be affected. It is understandable that advertising costs are reduced in such situations. However, you should not cut back on resources for content marketing.
Good and, above all, helpful content can be invaluable in times of crisis. It shows existing customers and new prospects that you are responsive to customer needs even in times like these. This not only builds trust, but can also open up new target groups.
It is important to have flexible processes within the company and to be able to react quickly to such situations. This may also mean that you have to temporarily change your marketing strategies and align your marketing activities on your channels accordingly. If this flexibility has not been in place until now, a crisis quickly shows that something needs to be changed and that internal processes need to be optimized accordingly. This will then ensure that you are prepared for similar situations in the future. – Tatjana Hein, Content & PR Manager, Piwik PRO
"Content must encourage interaction."
For me, the current crisis shows that content users want more than just loads of content. They want to exchange ideas, ask questions, and express their uncertainties. So we need more content that initiates, stimulates, and intensifies such exchanges. The fact that this works is currently demonstrated by many lively discussions after webinars.
We must not view content as a substitute for communication, but rather as the opposite: as a companion, optimizer, and promoter of communication in all phases of the customer journey! If we are honest, we have neglected this fundamental task of content in recent years. Sometimes it seems as if companies want to hide behind a thick wall of content. The new customer then appears as a number on the dashboard, and that's it.
In this context, we must also ask ourselves whether we understand personalization, which is an important goal in the content business, correctly: Is it enough to deliver tailored content? Or does personalization also mean more contact with each individual person? What structures and processes could we use to achieve this?
This is what I have learned: Content must create closeness. This can be achieved, for example, with fresh faces; companies need to come out of hiding here. Talented influencers can play an important role. This also has an impact on the use of all content formats, whose communicative power we need to review and promote. – Doris Eichmeier, content manager and author (including "Die Content-Revolution" [The Content Revolution])
"Every piece of content must be checked and supplemented if necessary."
For me, the basis for content is the triumvirate of target group needs, corporate goals, and brand messages. Where these three areas overlap, relevant content is created for (potential) customers, corporate goals are supported, and a consistent presence at all touchpoints strengthens trust in the company.
Trust in times of crisis
In times of crisis, trust is particularly important. If the company is clear about the image it wants to project, the only thing that changes in a crisis is the form of presentation. Everyday situations such as hugs suddenly take on a negative connotation, but I can also portray friendly interaction in a different way.
Continue to focus on target group needs
We have seen how quickly the needs of the target group can change. Their information requirements have changed. Uncertainties have arisen that no one could have predicted. If companies had already focused on their target groups beforehand, it was logical to respond to these changes. Those who were able to respond well to fears and new questions gained both reach and trust. Since social media and online media were used more heavily during the coronavirus pandemic, brand awareness has increased.
Check content
Due to the changed target group needs, marketing planning and existing content must be reviewed. Do blog posts need to be supplemented with information such as travel warnings or tips for social distancing? Is there content that needs to be removed entirely because it suddenly has negative connotations?
Process digitization by Corona
The coronavirus crisis has certainly been a tough test for many processes. Are these clearly defined—or has there been a lot of muddling through until now? When everyone suddenly starts working from home, it also challenges defined processes. But they can be more easily adapted to the new circumstances. The workflow and responsibilities remain the same—it's just that the means of communication between people may have changed. Instead of simply coordinating briefly across desks, online meetings or chats have now been added. Access to company servers also had to be secured from outside the company. Some new collaboration tools had to be used as a supplement.
What remains?
Many companies have been forced to review their processes and habits. I hope that all those responsible for content will reflect on this. What has worked well, where have we identified areas for improvement? And: What do we want to retain from the changes? – Irene Michl, content manager and author (including "Think Content")
"Honesty will win people over in times of crisis."
Take a stand. We cannot hide the situation we all find ourselves in from our target audience. However, I believe that we should use our reach and visibility to link content with stories. Tell a story, turn buying your products into an experience, and show that we are not just interested in numbers and crude sales.
This will be convincing during the crisis: honesty, stories, and continuing to show activity. – Lisa-Alexa Kopka, Shop & Content Manager
"Brands must remain true to themselves, especially in a crisis."
Even though it is rude to answer a question with a counter-question, I would like to allow myself this little discourtesy. After all, should a crisis even influence my content marketing? Of course, in such exceptional times, new challenges and opportunities arise depending on the industry, to which brand managers must respond.
However, the essential foundation of every brand—and thus also the basis of every marketing strategy—should remain unchanged in both boom and crisis times. In my books "Meine Marke" (My Brand) and "Ich Endlich Einzigartig" (I Am Finally Unique), I have outlined this brand foundation in detail. Here are the three most important points.
- Emotionality – Does my marketing appeal to the emotions of my target group? Am I conveying a feeling, an idea, or am I just selling a product?
- Values – What am I passionate about? What do I stand for? Am I willing to sacrifice sales for this conviction? Do I want 100 people to love me or 1 million people to have "heard of me"?
- Added value – What problem am I solving? Where can I really help my target group?
I repeat: these things should always be the focus of content marketing. What's more, those who authentically embody their values and communicate with their target group in good times will be rewarded with loyalty in times of crisis.
My specific tip therefore comes from a completely different industry, finance. There, they say: back and forth empties your pockets. For brands, this means staying true to yourself. Having the courage to have rough edges. Because that's exactly what we hold on to when a terrible storm rages.
– Hermann Wala, brand expert and bestselling author
"After crisis mode, you should pause and strategically realign or readjust."
Before the crisis, I sometimes had the feeling that companies were producing content as if there were no tomorrow, at the expense of focus and quality. The crisis mode has led some companies to pause (either forced or voluntarily).
This momentum should be used to think about strategy, customer benefits, and future direction. For many, the supposed focus on the customer is nothing more than a platitude. My recommendation: use the time for a few genuine customer conversations to find out where the pain points lie and what really motivates customers and users. – Svenja Teichmann, Managing Director crowdmedia GmbH
