Marketing is challenging in these days of COVID-19 because each person and business is experiencing the virus in different ways. All are impacted and all are (trying) to adapt. Some are suffering, some are growing. Regardless of if you’re suffering or growing right now, you’re likely anxious and fearful about what will come next, and likely feeling more isolated than ever before, even if you’re more engaged than others.
You can see how and why the marketing challenges continue to mount with so much discrepancy and uncertainty. However, two things remain constant that you can build around: 1. People need human connection right now, and 2. Video improves human connection.
Long story short: Leverage authentic video in your marketing efforts to more fully connect and engage. Here are some straightforward, effective and repeatable ways:
#1 Appreciate
Make personalized videos thanking the HCPs, nurses and other frontline workers you work with for risking their lives and those of their families. Yes, there are a lot of these in circulation right now and that’s because, well, they’re important. By taking time to coordinate a personalized video to the frontline teams you work with, you connect at a human level. Better yet, empower people across your organization to pay the appreciation forward and encourage them to create videos, too. Pro Tip: Giving people a guide to follow (not a script, but a guide) helps them feel more comfortable while filming, and also ensures the resulting video is authentic and cohesive.
#2 Update
Enable your entire team – no matter where they’re located – to create video updates that can be shared far and wide. Similar to the “Pro Tip” above, ask them to follow certain guidelines so they tell a story that’s structured but still in their own words. With a decentralized team, this is important. (Note: We have a free version of an “Update Template” that you can use immediately if you want to give it a try.) Pro Tip: Don’t film in front of a bright window. You’ll end up looking like you’re in the witness protection program – No one will be able to see your face.
#3 Educate
Create videos that help patients, HCPs, reps and anyone else in your ecosystem remain current on what you’re offering and why it’s important to them. For most types of videos, and for these in particular, it’s important to plan and prepare ahead of time. You are the expert who is educating on a product or topic, so you’ll need to stay more on-point than in the “Appreciate”, “Update” and “Motivate” videos. Pro Tip: Regardless of what we just said, be yourself. Yes, you want to appear knowledgeable as a teacher, but you want to be human.
#4 Motivate
Share ideas, best practices, success stories, tips for coping, and many other topics that can help maintain engagement with constituents. Show them you care and provide them with content that helps them move forward through the uncertainty and doubt they might be feeling. Pro Tip: Keep these types of videos cranking. Make and share them regularly to keep people engaged – If your goal is to motivate them, then it’s your job to keep them motivated – Create a calendar and stick to it.
Consider even one of the above strategies and you’ll continue to build relationships with people that will last beyond this most difficult time. And, really, simply consider one to start. You can adapt and grow as time – and the virus – dictate what happens next. Consider also the type of video you use. Businesses that use a mix of live and asynchronous video are most likely to remain connected during these disconnected times. Live video, such as Zoom, is great for meetings and moments that need to happen in real-time to be effective. But for other initiatives, like the ones discussed in this article, asynchronous is key so people can choose when to watch it. A mix of both is most effective.
