A little over a month ago, I provided you with an overview of the latest marketing trends, including what people are searching for on Google. But with this crazy COVID rollercoaster ride we’re on when one week we’re getting ready to open everything up, and the next week we’re shutting down with no idea when we’ll be able to get within 6 feet of another human being again, it seems time for an update on how these changes affect the way to market your business.
For the record, as much as staying in touch over Zoom is better than nothing, I’m really starting to miss physically interacting with humans. Growing up half French Canadian, I’ve always been a hugger, and it stinks to think that the friendly hug may become a thing of the past, at least for a while.
But back to marketing. It’s summertime, and here in Florida if it weren’t for COVID, we’d be thinking about two things, vacations, and hurricanes. This summer, we’re shifting to stay-cations and either hanging out in the backyard or vacationing within driving distance of home. I’m sure many of us in the past have had that secret wish to take a week off and just stay home without telling anyone, so at least now we can check part of that off of our bucket list! But if your business can do anything to shift its message with the idea that you’re speaking to an audience trying to make the most of backyard camping, a backyard tropical vacation, or things that go well with grilling, then now is the time. If you run a pest control business, then talk about making that backyard camping trip bug free. Air quality is a big trending topic these days for homeowners as well as commercial property owners and businesses trying to safely remain open or to reopen. Studies are showing that UV-C light is effective at killing viruses, including COVID, and should be positioned as an important part of our health strategy. HVAC companies with UV-C lights that can be added to air handlers should emphasize this solution. In fact, if your business has anything to do with home services then helping homeowners to have a worry-free staycation should be top-of-mind.
We’re also thinking about hurricane season, which has so many implications. I’m sure we’re all praying that any significant storms spin out to sea this year because I can’t imagine the situation of people refusing to evacuate because they’re afraid of exposure to COVID in a shelter. If I were a realtor, I might be pushing seasonal rentals in other cities as a backup plan. And while we’re hoping to avoid any named storms coming our way, homeowners only have a few short months left to file Hurricane Irma claims, which should keep insurance adjusters & first-party property insurance attorneys busy as they help property owners to recoup some cash if they were shortchanged the first time around.
Another big trend we’re seeing these days is DIY everything, partly for economic reasons as people conserve, and partly because many of us don’t want someone else in our homes right now. DIY goes well beyond making your own flower arrangements and crafts with the kids. We’re seeing it in services too. For our business we’re having success with DIY videos as an example, where we help business owners with an inexpensive online course on how to shoot good videos with your iPhone, they DIY the shoot and then send us the videos to edit, saving thousands of dollars in the process. If you think about the services you provide, perhaps you could include a DIY component where your client follows a checklist and begins the creation process and then you come in at the end to edit & verify.
Another popular trend is people trying to develop a new routine. I remember when we first went into quarantine we all stocked up on food for the grill and some drinks, thinking that this would all blow over in a couple of weeks. We then spent the next several weeks discovering how much we had really missed eating brownies, to be followed by somewhat feeble attempts to work out every now and then, and we felt that by spending every waking minute in front of our computers we had reached superhuman levels of productivity and must certainly be blasting through every item on our to-do list ever conceived. But now, we can’t be sure if our gyms will be open or closed, those “party on the bottom” shorts we’re wearing on Zoom are feeling a little snug, and all of that screen time is just making us inefficient and tired. We are coming to the conclusion that we need a new routine. So the question is, what can your business do to help people establish a new routine? If you’re a family law attorney, perhaps you can mediate creative timesharing agreements. If you’re in the restaurant or food services business, can you schedule regular deliveries of healthy foods to make it easier to stick to a schedule?
I watched an interesting video the other day about how Ben Franklin managed his day. Remember, Ben was the guy who coined the “early to bed, early to rise” expression, and true to his word, he woke up daily at 5 a.m. Clearly, that isn’t for everyone and at least now that we don’t need to drive anywhere, we have a bit more freedom to follow our most productive sleep schedule. But the next thing he did was to ask himself what good he would accomplish that day. This is actually a great little tip we can all incorporate into our morning routine. Perhaps as you open your eyes tomorrow morning, before you get up, ask yourself that question. I’m betting that setting that type of intention will create the right tone for a day focused more on what is truly important and less on distractions so perhaps you’ll be able to shut the computer off an hour earlier. Franklin also made a daily plan, which is a great idea. As organized as I am with digital tools, I still find it helpful to have my daily sticky note with the top 5 things I must get done that day stuck to my computer. Franklin also made a point of learning something new each day and that’s a great objective, even if it is something simple like watching an 18 minute TED talk or listening to a podcast. Like mine for example (hint, hint). Then at the end of his workday, which for him was 7 p.m. he would wrap up by reorganizing his space and preparing it for the next day.
Now if you’re a business coach, helping clients stick to a schedule is just part of what you do. But what about other businesses? How can you make scheduling easier for your clients? If you’re a CPA or Financial Advisor and have monthly account review calls with clients, perhaps you get 6 months of calls scheduled on the calendar at once so they don’t slip by. Even if you have annual reviews, send a calendar invite for next year when you wrap up this year’s call and leave it as a placeholder. Sure things change but you can always shift around if needed. If you’re an IT company, you’re already using technology to auto-schedule system and network checks for your clients, but perhaps you can get your regular remote service check-in calls scheduled as well.
Another market trend is an ever-increasing reliance on mobile technology. Consider what your audience is typically doing while on their mobile devices. They’re likely taking a break from work, or unwinding, or waiting for something else to happen. These are all prime times for us to pick up a mobile device. When they visit your website from a mobile device, quite often they’re gathering information, looking for inspiration, and if they have a long enough break, they may be making a buying decision. Reflect on what your business can do to capture the attention of that mindset. Quite often, it is simply to provide interesting and informative content. That content shouldn’t be 100% about selling, but about engaging, informing, and delivering value. The idea is for them to recognize your expertise through the information you share. You’re more likely to be remembered for it.
Finally, a very important trend for us all to embrace right now is Black Lives Matter. As a Canadian, I didn’t grow up in a country with a history of enslaving some of its people, and when I was a kid my friends came in all different skin tones. Perhaps I was sheltered, but I didn’t witness the divisions and the pain of the past that I see here as people across the country risked their lives and took to the streets to protest the inequality of police treatment of people of color. The weeks of unrest have caused many brands to reflect upon who they show in their photos and the type of language they use. It’s a good wake-up call for even small businesses to make sure that we’re all doing our best to look like our audience when we project our marketing messages.
I’m only scratching the surface on July marketing trends, but I wanted to hit the highlights of shifts we’re seeing to help you reflect on your strategy. So to sum up, these key trends are;
- Stay-cations
- Hurricanes
- DIY everything
- New routines
- Mobile mindset, and
- Black Lives Matter
Let me end today with a quote from Seth Godin, one of my favorite marketing authors. “People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories, and magic.” So let’s go create some magic.