Our COVID-19 Response Succeeding during the pandemic & thriving beyond by: Wayne Outlaw, Outlaw Group Inc.
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e all know the COVID-19 Marketing Strategies — Based on Future Revenue Projections Planned Utilization pandemic has had a treDisplayed by those who project an increase or decrease in revenue Increase* Decrease* mendous impact on us Develop or enhance your email program to reach more people 75% 40.74% both personally and in our busiImprove your website attraction & capturing of leads 58.33% 51.85% nesses. Social distancing, wearing 58.33% 66.67% masks and limiting contact has Engage more fully in social media 50% 42.59% made it feel as if there is a barrier Improve the quality & content of marketing emails to increase response between us and other people. This Enhance marketing materials with higher-quality content 41.67% 42.59% barrier has had a tremendous im- Establish targets for email touches by salespeople 33.33% 33.33% pact on the way we do business. Additional blog posts or white papers 25% 33.33% While we initially thought it Develop a way to identify & stay connected to those who visit the website 25% 31.48% might be a couple of months or a Require a level of activity of salespeople on LinkedIn 25% 25.93% short hiatus, it has evolved into 16.67% 9.26% what feels like an endless series Increase advertisements in the local media 16.67% 11.11% of dramatic changes and unprec- Start or increase online ads edented challenges to the way we Sponsorship of organizations or events 16.67% 9.26% do business. The shift to remote Provide a specific call to action on each page of the website 8.33% 9.26% work and embracing routine use Other 8.33% 14.81% of video technology has created a * Percentage of survey respondents who are implementing (or plan to implement) each strategy, segseismic shift in the way we inter- mented by whether they project an increase or decrease in revenue in the next six to 12 months. act with others and do business. Those who see changes and focus only on short-term strate- be a result of many small events over a period of time. If an gies to cope with reduced revenue and restrictions to face- organization has not been responsive to the evolutionary changes that have been occurring, an event like the panto-face contact are missing the real impact. Those who recognize the significant shifts or changes in demic can be catastrophic. Those organizations that have the way we do business and respond correctly will thrive not perceived a need for change and responded effectively and succeed. These changes make it imperative to develop will have an even greater demand to make the changes innovative sales and marketing processes, improved pric- needed to succeed today and thrive tomorrow. In 2003, we interviewed dealers and conducted a survey as ing structures that recognize the true value and, very importantly, more effective ways to ensure highly competent the basis for an article in Office Technology magazine entitled people are in every position. Those who focus only on ad- “Early Adopter or Procrastinator? Which One Are You?” The dressing revenue decline through short-term strategies focus was on the slow adaptation and lack of change among like reducing expenses or adding short-term supplemental dealerships to sell connected systems. The article’s focus was products without making significant improvements and ad- on how many dealerships had not embraced integrating products into their customers’ networks and the need to be full justments will pay a heavy price in the long run. partners in their information technology systems. It highlighted the price of failing to change and adapt to the conditions in Change Change does not have to be initiated by a major event the future. Many dealers had been very successful in the past such as 9/11 or the pandemic we are dealing with now. It can selling standalone units and were reluctant to move away
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