How to Adjust Your Event Marketing Strategy During a Pandemic

“The art of life is a constant readjustment to our surroundings.” - Kakuzo Okakura

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Effective communication is crucial in marketing. It’s a core component in building relationships between people and brands.

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The pandemic changed how marketers— well, everyone—communicates. So, how do you stay connected in a world where people have become so distant from each other?

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If we don’t learn to adapt to such changes, we won’t survive.

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5 Event Marketing Challenges During COVID-19 (And How To Solve Them)

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Marketers were forced to navigate their strategies and tactics through a landmine of challenges—and to do so quickly—otherwise, there wouldn’t be business continuity.

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But the challenges must first be identified in order to find an effective solution. What are they and what must be done to stay relevant? How do you adjust your marketing strategy during a pandemic?

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1. How a Customer’s Wants, Needs, and Purchasing Decisions Will Evolve

The uncertainty and fear of getting sick, potentially losing a job, and how one can simply survive COVID-19 will all affect a person’s buying decisions.

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In a pandemic, finding the right message to address these fears can be difficult. Businesses must tread carefully, or else consumers might think you’re exploiting a tragedy.

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Solution:

Engage in scenario planning. Work with experts to develop different potential outcomes and how each one can affect your business.

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Use social listening to monitor for changes in customer sentiment and behaviour. It’s crucial now more than ever to know how consumers feel—and why. Knowing these things can help you create a more customer-centric message and action plan.

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2. Budget Concerns

Your event marketing strategy during a pandemic is made more difficult because of budget constraints. As businesses struggle to stay afloat, sharp falls in ad spending can be seen.

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Without a clear budget, determining the direction of your event marketing strategy becomes even more difficult.

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Solution:

Use Google Analytics, Hubspot Analytics, and other web services and tools to track metrics. This can help you identify what’s working for your business and therefore help you allocate resources wisely.

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You can also add a virtual component to in-person events. Not only are hybrid events safe, but they also allow you to reach a whole new market at a cost-effective price.

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Some companies are tempted to stop marketing altogether. But challenging times are exactly when you must advertise to show stability and care. Those who continue to invest in marketing will come out to the other side in a better position than those who held back.

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3. Finding the Right Channel To Communicate and Provide Service

The pandemic tipped communications even further toward digital channels. The number of people using their mobile devices to look for information, entertainment, and to purchase products and services soared.

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For companies that don’t have a proper website or any digital channel for purchase and delivery, this is a huge problem.

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Solution:

To maintain (and expand) your presence online you must ramp up your capacity for online transactions and delivery. Creating apps and tools for digital interactions are also crucial.

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People will always want to hear an empathetic human voice even with all the digital options available. So be prepared to show support and build a relationship with your audience through innovative formats.

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In this case, experiential marketing tactics can be transitioned into a virtual format. With sufficient creativity and the help of technological advancements, the magic of in-person experiential events can still be delivered virtually with the same intensity.

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4. Standing Out From the Competition Amid the Digital Noise

The significance of a digital presence can be seen now more than ever. So, how do you differentiate your brand from your competitors? Now that consumers are seeing a lot more digital advertisements, what can you do to stand out?

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Solution:

A successful event marketing campaign is based on intimately knowing your market. The more you understand what your customers’ wishes, needs, habits, and fears are, the better you can convince them that you have the right solution.

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It also pays to know how and when your market uses social media and what they search for. Having this information will allow you to know the right time to schedule your event, publish a blog, make an announcement, and post photos and other content. Sometimes, timing is everything to get your message across.

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A brand refresh may also be needed to increase recognition and help expand your market reach.  

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5. Keeping up With the Ever-Changing COVID-19 Regulations

There’s no denying how massive the impact of COVID-19 has been on everybody. And this impact will continue to ripple for both businesses and consumers in the next couple of years. As the world continues to shift, making long-term decisions will be difficult.

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Solution:

Consumers have to adapt to the new normal while being concerned for their emotional and financial well-being at the same time. This is your chance to be a useful resource to them.

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Create events that are significant with the times. Anticipate what they need to know or how your product or service can be useful to them at this time.

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The key is to let them experience your brand while keeping them updated, informed, or entertained in a way that doesn’t risk their safety.

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Building a Relationship That Can Endure Any Crisis

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Your event marketing strategy during a pandemic should remain flexible. It must be based on empathy and putting consumers first in order to build a relationship that can endure any crisis.

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It’s not a simple task, but with the right marketing insights and technological tools, you can turn the pandemic in your favour.

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If you need guidance in facing any of these challenges, you can count on The Concierge Club to help. With years of experience in marketing, we know how to listen and address consumer needs while driving sales and long-term growth for your company.

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Contact us today to learn more about how you can navigate your event marketing strategy during a pandemic!