How to market goods that may be in higher demand in the COVID-19 crisis

With the world in turmoil as the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across the globe, it is hardly surprising that some people have panicked.

While rational minds will be reassured that the situation is not quite that of a zombie apocalypse - or even the Hollywood film Contagion - there has nonetheless been a great urgency to stock up on essentials, though for some that means a somewhat irrational accumulation of toilet paper.

Research by Kantar has shown that March this year was a record-breaker for grocery shopping, with year-on-year sales in the stores rising by 20.6%. 

Other high street beneficiaries have included takeaway establishments, as those preferring not to cook utilise the sole remaining option while pubs, cafes and restaurants are closed.

Why is now a great time for online firms?

However, it is online that some of the biggest opportunities exist, which means there will be a major focus on digital marketing for E-Commerce in the UK.

•          Online grocery shopping is also surging, with sales up by over 13% in March

•          Online entertainment like gaming is increasingly popular

•          Online books that can be used on Kindles and Tablets are in increasing demand

•          Home fitness equipment is in demand for those who cannot go to the gym

Identifying needs should not be too hard to work out. However, to make the most of this situation, firms need to take some important steps:

•          Now is a good time to have a marketing campaign - which means if one was planned for a couple of months hence it needs to be expedited

•          There needs to be the capacity in place to meet demand - if you don’t have the stock or means of delivery, you will miss out

•          You also need the server capacity to avoid your website being overwhelmed

•          Your marketing needs to hit the right tone

Getting your marketing campaign right

With so many people online at present to maintain communication with those they would normally spend time with, the chances of any online marketing campaign being seen are high, but remember that your competitors know this as well, so you are still going to need to market your firm effectively.

•          Because content marketing and SEO can take six months to reach the first page of Google rankings, this should not be your main focus; six months from now life will (hopefully) be returning to normal

•          You should instead focus on bringing in and nurturing leads now with means like PPC, social media posts and email marketing
•          Now would be a good time to increase the number of social media channels you use to advertise on, such as Instagram and YouTube.
•          Marketing should be sensitive in tone; while there may be opportunities right now for people to do many things they might not otherwise have had time to do, this is also a time of tragedy and struggle for many

•          Remember that you need to nurture a positive image of your firm, as people will remember that long after the crisis has passed - that means acting ethically can help, such as donating some of your extra profits to a charity

In addition to the extensive growth of E-Commerce in the UK in recent years, the sector may find it enjoys an extended benefit from the crisis as many people who did not shop online much in the past get into the habit of doing so.

How can BeUniqueness help?

As one of the best digital marketing agencies in Manchester, BeUniqueness is extremely well equipped to help your E-Commerce firm thrive at a time when its services are likely to be in particularly high demand. We can help you to draw up a digital marketing plan that is tailored to your firm’s needs, as well as those of our customers in the current situation.

With our help, you can not only be set up to thrive in the current climate, but also have a strategy in place for longer-term success when the crisis comes to an end and normal life starts to return.

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