Feast after Fatigue?
Only if we make use of “essential” marketing dollars in advance of predicted economic boons
Clay Hall
By Clay Hall, vice president of sales, Reno Type
If anyone gets how anxiety-inducing the pandemic has been on sales professionals, it’s this group. Unless you were manufacturing PPE products or solutions, forecasting profits was a bit like being asked to build a house’s foundation on top of quicksand. But today, things feel a little bit more optimistic and, as we look at the economic signs on our horizon, it's time to realize our marketing dollars are essential.
Attention for services, solutions and products has become incredibly competitive in this hyper-digital world. Restrictions may be lifting incrementally (please be safe, of course), but most marketing tactics have stayed hyper digital… a slew of emails, constant push notifications, and virtual events galore. The most startling tidbit? Some forecasts state we will see something approaching a 40% increase in digital marketing efforts aimed at our phones, laptops, screens, and any other viewing device you might own with ad capabilities. You’re not imagining the digital overload or the email fatigue (it’s actually called ‘Languishing’), and it will only continue.
Other forecasts are pretty hopeful and we’ve got to be prepared.
“Forecasters have always expected the pandemic to be followed by a period of strong growth as businesses reopen and Americans resume their normal activities,” wrote Ben Casselman of the New York Times. “But in recent weeks, economists have begun to talk of something stronger: a supercharged rebound that brings down unemployment, drives up wages and may foster years of stronger growth.”
Nevada has plenty of financial issues to wade through in the meantime, but optimism is high. Those companies that don’t carve out a direct path to customers - one that actually stands out from the digital clutter - risk getting lost in the shuffle.
To capitalize on potential sunnier revenue days, keep in mind the following:
Your marketing dollars are essential. Whether they’re forgivable or not, many companies scrapped marketing expenses at the start of the pandemic. But with federal dollars continuing to kick down, consumers are revving up spending habits and hunting for solutions. Does your company have them? Further, if your company has them, how do you plan to communicate this in such a competitive field?
Your message needs to stick. Brands continue to experiment with humor, unconventional messaging and eye-catching creative. You’ll need to capture some level of resonance in your messaging paired with powerful imagery or storytelling in order to deliver an idea or solution that will stick in your consumer’s craw. Unless you’ve got lightning in a bottle, one instance or touch point might not work.
Digital isn’t always ideal. Even before the pandemic, an estimated 20-30% of emails got opened as compared to 90% of direct mail appeals. In fact, contributors to a recent article stated that the sound of a new email filled their hearts with dread. Should we be investing in marketing methods that could prompt avoidance, or should we be finding different ways to connect? At Reno Type, we encourage oversized or alternately shaped envelopes in the mailbox. Given that the number 10 envelope is the most common thing in the mailbox, we see a lot of success when we encourage clients to shift to a baronial or announcement sized envelope. They stand out and they don’t cost more, but ultimately, they don’t fill your customers' hearts with dread.
Since the start of this pandemic, we’ve all discussed at length how unprecedented the times are. As we near a new day, the end of the pandemic will be no different, friends. A potentially crushing digital environment fatiguing consumers paired with a potential boon on the horizon means that we must reinvestigate tactics and realize that our marketing dollars will be essential when it comes to capitalizing on what is ahead of us.
As a sales leader with experience building new business and growing existing revenue, Clay Hall has spent most of his career understanding how to help others win. Now at Reno Type in Reno, a professional services and printing organization renowned for being ahead of the printing curve in Northern Nevada, Clay serves as an expert source in relationship building, new business development, and revenue growth.