Marketing for Malaysian Businesses in COVID – Top 10 Things you MUST do

There is never a ‘sure-win’ marketing strategy. It matters not whether you are on digital platforms or relying on conventional methods in your marketing campaign if you fail to have a workable plan.

Is COVID-19 spoiling the party?

It definitely is. COVID-19 changed almost every industry out there and if you are a marketer, your job has just become more challenging than ever. If this has not accelerated your digital aspirations, you are surely falling way behind. But that does not mean you should stand back and watch. Now is the time to buckle up and get into the game. It is never too late and if you have what it takes, then your business could well benefit from this situation.

10 things you thought you knew

So, is it really as bleak as it sounds or is this all a passing phase? The truth is, you really need to start re-assessing your marketing plans if you are to get through these times. But have the following 10 things in mind when you do!

1. Psychology – Understand why customers buy (or not buy) your products. This differentiates between you and your competitors. Along the way, you will also learn how to meet their needs and wants.
2. Do not compromise on your target audience – Profiling your target audience must be done from the get-go. You need to identify their needs and desires and then get to the bottom of what they want. What you want is to answer their needs!
3. Make an offer they can’t refuse – Getting your customers through the door is not even half of the job done. Concluding the deal is. Once they visit your site, give them something to leave with. Your offer must be irresistible!
4. Always start with one group of customers – It can be a niche market or a specific target segment. It is tempting to go all out and target everyone but that would mean a scattered campaign.
5. Go cross or omnichannel – Once you have done the above, then you can optimize your campaign and go bigger through other platforms.
6. Optimize your spending – Look into how you can save costs in lead generation. Then, spend your money in other areas. Find ways that can reduce your cost and then bank on those.
7. Run your ads through focus groups – If you are going to send an ad out on any platform, run them through certain groups of users first. NEVER run a campaign that you have not tested.
8. Connect with your audience – You want to build a long-term relationship with your customers so, closing the sale immediately might not work. What you want is to tell them about you, educate your customers about your offerings and then retain them for the longest time possible.
9. Focus on marketing so that your sales can take a back seat – Many businesses do not know this but when your marketing campaign is powerful, your sales team has less to do.
10. The power of new tech – Put in some budget for new technologies and ideas. You might have a killer ad this time but it won’t work after the buzz is gone.
11. Don’t slack, even when you are busy – There should not be any letting up in marketing. You must constantly be putting your brand out there (whether you are busy or not). Brand awareness goes a long way and it should be done constantly so that you get a consistent brand recall.