How is our new COVID-19 reality affecting digital advertising? How can businesses approach digital marketing in our new socially distant age? Jason Kovarik, Advertising Sales Director of Local Media with Morgan Murphy Media, shares his wisdom with us in this guest blog. Jason is a President’s Circle of Excellence winner, with over 15 years’ experience working in the advertising industry. He enjoys hitting the trails on his mountain bike and snowboarding in the winter. He resides in Madison with his wife and two dogs.
Why marketing and advertising are now more important than ever.
As an independent business owner, marketing and advertising is usually the last thing you want to talk about. The hassle of dealing with annoying sales reps, the confusion of what’s necessary vs. what is just the latest fad, or having to deal with marketing decisions after dealing with employees, purchase orders, billing, inventory — and now this virus. It’s enough to make anyone throw up their arms in frustration and say, “I give.”
Well, let’s not be too hasty. For those of you who made it through the bust of 2008, you came out stronger than you went in. Businesses became leaner and developed innovative ways to make a profit and keep the doors open. With COVID-19, our normal way of doing business has been disrupted. However, if you look hard enough, this may be an opportunity in disguise. No, it’s not rainbows and unicorns, but if you are able to adjust and develop new ways to conduct business, just like in 2008, the strong not only survive, but continue to get stronger.
People are still in need of services.
Our daily routines are now different. We get up and “commute” a few feet to the coffee maker, sitting down in front of a computer to start the day. With kids and pets in the background, we type away at our keyboards working from home. Because of all this time spent online, we are contributing to an ever-growing database of personal preferences, habits, and behaviors each time we interact with our phone, computer, or connected TV. We still need, groceries, plumbers, cleaning supplies, oil changes and dog groomers and with the extra time on our hands, we are open to researching new businesses that offer curbside pickup, mobile services, or delivery because of how are lives have been disrupted.
Where is your audience now?
Due to self-quarantine, social distancing, and the new work from home policies mandated by many companies, your audience is now firmly planted in front of the TV, computer, tablet, or phone. There is no more time wasted on commuting. Most business must be done over the phone or video conferencing. This type of forced isolation makes us seek out connections. Connections to friends and family, to the community we live in. When this captive audience looks for information or seeks escapism, they turn to a screen. Because of this, viewership for TV is skyrocketing and the amount of people streaming content is higher than ever before. Your audience is never more than a few feet away from a screen with your potential message.
The Opportunity.
Increased viewership, increased streaming, and more time in front of screens are all opportunities. Never has there been a bigger pool of qualified customers consuming content. If your business can provide a “No-Touch” service, then you have a message to send. Marrying these new opportunities with technology allows for your businesses to identify consumers who are in need and in market for products and services. You have a captive audience that needs products and services — tell them you are open for business.
