So, there are articles clamoring about how businesses, hospitals, and everything in between are dealing with various threats. “Coronavirus creating disruption in marketing, “Is the digital marketing industry doomed to fail”, and “How are digital marketers going to handle the stock market crash “. Thanks to the very nature of our jobs, digital marketing for medical practitioners, one would think it spells our doom. These things would be a death knell for medical marketers and marketing companies everywhere. News cycles are practically writing a eulogy for the economy as we speak. If there was ever a time to throw in the towel, it would be now, right?
Wrong.
What many people don’t understand is that any marketer good at their job would know how to adapt. There are reasons that we operate the way we do and it all boils down to the observation and reaction towards human behavior patterns. We may be masters of planning strategizing campaigns, but we do so knowing that there is no guarantee. That is why we have long- and short-term strategies for things. Even if the world seems to stop spinning. That is why, instead of talking about doom and gloom, we will talk about ways to adapt digital and medical marketing strategies for the present environment, if this will last for more than a week or two.
Don’t Bank on Conferences and Trade Shows, Consider Remote Communication
One of the biggest things that people are freaking out about right now is the coronavirus pandemic. Thanks to poor planning and herd mentality, the global population is reacting strongly to the spread of a new disease. This has spread so far and so fast, that people are rightly wanting to take caution. This is creating a climate of people cancelling b2b trade shows, methods of international travel, and public schools to discourage the gathering of large groups. This is a good precaution to take because the last thing you want to do is pass germs onto potential clients or business partners.
However, this quarantine is creating an obstacle for large scale b2b marketing events, trade shows, and experiential marketing tactics. We can also say the same for outdoor marketing. People are being discouraged from going outside for fear of getting sick. You can’t show off a display or an ad when no one can come to it. But there are workarounds for these cancellations.
If your customers can’t come to you, why don’t you go to them? Online platforms such as group chat channels, and teleconferences are great ways to communicate to target audiences and other business while under quarantine? We are already embracing the idea of telecommuting as part of the workplace. Even the writing portion of this business, for example, is entirely remote.
As the tradeshow circuit dwindles, some exhibitors are looking for other ways to fill their sales pipelines. “[I] just talked with one client who is seeing several tradeshows get canceled, and wants to put more into digital to make up for the lost leads they usually pick up at events,” said Tim Jensen, PPC campaign manager at Clix Marketing.
– Search Engine Land
Don’t Scramble to Salvage the Present, Do Rest and Prepare
First off, there is no reason to panic. According to the Professor of Economics at Oxford University, Simon Wren-Lewis, as far as the scale of economic impact COVID-19 will bring, it is on the least concern part of the economic scale.
“The fall in production due to workers taking more time off sick is least important. In part, because firms have ways of compensating for this, particularly if illness is spread over the quarter.”
Second, America is already working too much. It is no secret that our country all but endorses its employees to work while they are sick for the sake financial survival. “In the U.S., 85.8 percent of males and 66.5 percent of females work more than 40 hours per week.”
So, instead of viewing these state of emergencies as wasted time or a loss of profit, consider looking at it as a way for you and your employees to prepare and get some much needed rest and time to spend with their families. You will likely find that not only will your workers return. They will be more productive and clear headed. Conserve your energy and the energy of the workforce for now, so that later, you can handle the lift of these states of emergency.
Conclusion
Anybody can throw in the towel and think that an obstacle will lead to an end to your business. However, we at Purple Tie Guys are the best at what we do, because we can see opportunities arise from obstacles.