Between the ongoing global health crisis and economic upheaval of 2020, consumer behavior changed significantly and continues to evolve today. While the year's behind us, some studies show that certain shifts - an increase in shopping online and a decrease in brand loyalty, for example - could stick around even after the pandemic subsides.
As companies aim to track these trends and adjust effectively, here's some fresh advice to help business leaders really grasp their customers' new demands and expectations, and respond in a way that positions their brand above the pack.
Adapt To Your Customer's Needs - Digitally
While some Americans are hopeful that vaccines become widely available this year, with Covid-19 cases permanently dropping as a result, a recent Gartner report suggests that consumers might continue to live more privately in a post-pandemic era, spending more time working from home or socializing smaller circles rather than out in public.
To fit these more long-term lifestyle changes, the transformation in customer spending could be here to stay. According to a Mckinsey study detailing key trends in shopping behavior in the US, more people expect to make online purchases post-pandemic than they did before. They're also focused on prioritizing essentials and investing in quality.
Forward-thinking businesses are wise to evolve their branding to match these trends. This might look like redesigning your online presence to be more user-friendly and accessible to a wider audience, for instance. It could also involve creating clearer communication strategies across a variety of online channels to convey to customers how your offerings meet the moment and truly answer their evolving needs, interests and challenges.
Become A Purpose-Driven Brand
Many consumers care about social activism, and there's never been a more important time to align your brand with a mission that matters to you and your audience. A recent global survey showed that 62% of customers want companies to take a stand on various causes, from sustainability transparency to fair employment practices.
With more dialogue and heightened awareness around gender and racial equality, there's also a keener public eye assessing how exactly companies are addressing social justice issues. In a recent study of 1,000 Americans, 91% believe that our collective efforts combined with the actions that brands take to fight racial injustice can lead to sustained social change. This sentiment is echoed by another study which found that 65% of Americans want brands to take a stand against racism.
Find ways to be transparent about your values that align with your customer. This could look like refining your brand messaging to support certain causes or highlighting internal corporate social responsibility efforts. Authentically expressing your brand identity and values through your marketing strategies and interactions with customers is key.
Diversity And Inclusion
As the racial justice movement continued with renewed energy and attention in 2020, reports suggest that support of Black-owned businesses surged, too. In addition to consumers wanting brands to take a stand and speak out, there's also a demand for companies to walk their talk when it comes to diversity and inclusion within their internal structure.
Being transparent about your company's structure and initiatives - as well as any future goals to improve diversity, equity and inclusion at your organization -communicates a lot about your brand. This could look like publishing data on the racial and gender breakdown of your company's structure or detailing an action plan for improving representation or confronting barriers in the hiring process, for example.
There's also an opportunity to reflect on how your commitment to inclusivity is reflected in your marketing. One study found that 64% of respondents said they took some sort of action after viewing an ad they considered to be diverse or inclusive, and that percentage was even higher among BIPOC, LGTBQ+ and teen consumers. By reflecting your commitment to representation via your marketing, you're setting yourself up to attract and keep customers across a range of demographics.
Let Your Brand Lead With Empathy
When Covid-19 hit in 2020, consumers around the world faced new and sudden challenges - spending their day in lockdowns, worrying about job loss and health, grappling with remote education and more. In order to connect with an audience meaningfully, brands need to see and understand the intense and varied struggles of their consumers.
There's never been a more important time to remember that there's an actual person who opens, reads and processes your social media posts, emails, texts and more. And while conveying authenticity and empathy is the right thing to do—it also impacts the bottom line. Companies that deliver humanized experiences could be twice as likely to outperform the revenue growth of competitors, for example. When re-envisioning your brand's tone in 2021, consider how empathetic it is. Humanizing a story and ensuring it's relatable can boost your brand loyalty during a time when customers are more likely to jump ship.
Tell Real Stories In Your Marketing
One effective way to express empathy is to tell truth-based stories. While casting actors in commercials and marketing campaigns has long been tradition, consider taking a more journalistic approach by using real people and their stories to showcase your brand's impact and values.
For inspiration, consider this compelling campaign from an employment platform, featuring documentary-style stories sharing how the brand impacted people's lives. Not only can campaigns like this illustrate tangible impact, but they can also be a powerful expression of company values. Another well-known brand's campaign did just that by taking a stand for inclusion during Pride month, for example.
If your production budget is small, consider leaning into user-generated content which can be as simple as using recorded video conversations or visuals captured via smartphones. And whether your audience is local or global, keep in mind that telling real stories about people just like your audience is an effective way to convey empathy, build trust and resonate with them during an era of intense challenge and change.
Published in partnership with Forbes
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