So the pandemic is…over? we guess?  Of the many lessons we’ve learned over the last year, “expect the unexpected” is primary, so we’re bracing for a horror movie-style comeback. But one thing’s for certain: public spaces are opening and things are going back to some semblance of normal. Let’s call it the next normal. 

What does that mean for your marketing efforts, as a business owner? There’s one thing it doesn’t mean: you can stop them altogether. 

What We Learned

As a digital marketing agency, Tree Ring was well positioned to help businesses transition from their old business-as-usual model to one more pandemic-proof. It’s true, in those first months of the lockdown, we had some panicked calls from people who were legitimately terrified about losing their businesses. And we did lose some clients – some because they felt they couldn’t afford marketing, and some that simply closed their doors – but we gained many more. We were able to thrive by helping our clients do way more than survive. 

An article on Forbes.com put it this way: “reliance on data for decision making limited the ability of businesses to think and respond to an unprecedented situation. Many chose to take the more risk-free path — to wait, watch and learn. Meanwhile, some business leaders realized that there is no better reason or time to ramp up marketing efforts than during adversity. They understood that customers were looking for value and connections. Undaunted, these businesses took cues from the transformative power of digital and did well when it came to their marketing initiatives.”  

The Power of Digital

The general consensus in the marketing industry seems to be that a lot of the changes brought on by the pandemic were inevitable because digital is a genie that is definitely not going back in the bottle. 

Again, from Forbes.com: “‘Shift to digital” has been the message for a while now — the pandemic just accelerated the shift…But the key takeaway is not to go just digital — it’s to go wherever your customers are. There are no more boundaries between channels; what exists today is a seamless, integrated journey. That is what it means to be truly omnichannel and omnipotent.”

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop (Marketing)

Now that we’re venturing into the next normal, some small business owners are feeling like since they survived, they don’t need to market anymore. Restrictions are lifted and they have a waitlist…why market? Simply put, the answer is because this is a honeymoon phase. Yes, everyone’s rushing to get “out there” right now, but that will pass. Don’t let hubris sabotage your success in the next normal. 

Tree Ring Digital’s CEO Paige Wiese says, “don’t take this as an opportunity to stop your efforts and everything you just did for COVID.  A lot of our clients had great success during the pandemic, and are well positioned to come strong out of COVID, mainly because they were marketing and doing the right things to remain visible.” She adds, “and so always be prepared for the worst. If COVID taught us anything, it’s to be prepared.”

Wanna have a conversation about your “next normal”? Call Tree Ring Digital.