Seemingly overnight, in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, business as usual became anything but. All of a sudden, a public health crisis hit home, consumers started panic-buying essentials, and hospitals and healthcare workers steeled themselves to prepare for the inevitable.
We are all searching for answers at this difficult time, but we’ve also managed to find some and are sharing them with you. The questions you’re asking are the same questions every other CPG or marketer in the food industry is asking. So, how do you continue your marketing efforts in an unprecedented pandemic?
Now is Not the Time to Stop.
The first question may be “Do I continue my marketing efforts in an unprecedented pandemic?” The answer is: Absolutely, yes. Consumers are still searching for companies and products to solve their problems and anticipate their needs; their needs are simply different now. With a smart retooling of your strategy, you can continue to establish and build trust with your consumer by providing value, offering comfort (and is there any industry where this is more relevant than food?), and letting them know you’re listening. If anything, it is time to ramp up, and here’s why.
Consumer Behavior is Changing.
We’ve all seen post-apocalyptic, empty supermarket shelves. While restaurants, heartbreakingly, are closing left and right, CPG products are gaining—and fast. People have to eat, and they are overwhelmingly choosing to eat at home. According to research from Datassential, due to Coronavirus concerns, nearly 90% of respondents indicated they feel safer eating at home and preparing grocery store-bought food themselves. Mind you, this survey was conducted on March 10, 2020—and the situation gets more severe by the day.
Additionally, while you’d perhaps expect that consumers would be more likely to order delivery or takeout to avoid contact, 16 percent said they’re likely to decrease ordering delivery while just 8 percent said they’d increase ordering delivery. Twelve percent indicated they’d likely decrease ordering takeout and food-to-go, and just 7 percent said they’d increase. The takeaway is that it’s not just convenience and reducing contact; consumers have real concerns about the safety of food preparation outside the home. The most significant changes in their habits are a decrease of eating at sit-down restaurants (54%) and an increase of cooking at home (69%).
This means that many people who weren’t cooking before are now finding their way into the kitchen. These are habits that will likely stick with them long after the last case of Coronavirus is given the all-clear. The time to establish relationships with these consumers is now, through smart, adaptable marketing strategies.
Actionable Steps—What Do Your Consumers Need Now?
Armed with this data, you are ready to meet your target audience’s needs and establish trust by letting them know, explicitly and implicitly, that you are listening. Here’s how we do that:
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Evaluate what you need to make online shopping as convenient as possible. Can customers purchase your products directly in checkout on Instagram and Facebook? Do you offer online ordering directly through your website? Is your Amazon storefront in shipshape, with captivating images, smart copy, and an FAQ section? Additionally, no one can buy your product if they can’t find you. How’s your SEO strategy, and how can you make sure you show up in relevant consumer searches and get those folks into your sales funnel?
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Ramp up your direct email marketing. We’ve all been flooded with Covid-19 updates of questionable relevance. Now, imagine getting actual solutions right in your inbox. Being heard in the noise is actually pretty simple; it just requires you to offer something of value, whether it’s a thoughtful home cooking strategy, a discount code, or free shipping.
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Use this opportunity to post recipes. Internet searches for “Pantry Meals” are popping off right now. Let your customers know you’re listening, and get one step ahead of them by posting recipes on your social media and in your email newsletters—perhaps with pantry-friendly modifications or suggestions.
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Keep in mind what consumers are stocking up on. The first instinct seems to have been to buy shelf-stable pantry goods; however, fresh produce is a perfectly viable addition to the quarantine arsenal. It just needs to be presented and prepared differently; frozen, home-canned, pickled, etc. Which leads us to:
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Create even more additional value with planned menus and shopping lists. People have enough to worry about right now. Use this opportunity to make cooking easier than ever, by offering carefully planned, nutritionally sound menus and corresponding shopping lists. Knowing that more than a few in your audience are new to cooking, include simple tutorials to help them. Even if it has nothing to do with your product, teach people how to batch-sauté and freeze spinach, freeze bananas for smoothies, and make homemade stock. The value you provide to your consumers in a time of uncertainty is, well, invaluable. Down the road, when this is all over, they will remember.
- Avoid tone-deaf snafus. We’ve all seen the cringy post that was clearly scheduled months in advance—don’t be that brand! Carefully look at everything you have in the pipeline and re-evaluate your messaging. Your cookie recipe may be great, but this is not the time for “Take this to your next neighborhood potluck!” copy.
We Can Help.
At Heart Creative, we’ve built our business by taking care of your business. We are currently working on strategic support packages to optimize your plan of action during this delicate, yet heavy time. Don’t hesitate to contact us if we can help; whether you’re an established client or new around here, a consultation call with us—on the house—is the first step in making the transition a little easier.
