123 eGuides

1 Minute Advice: 3 Key Tips for Brands

In an article for Think with Google, Mark Read, CEO of major advertising agency WPP, shares three tips for brands in a post-pandemic world:

1. Be visible
   Read advises, "marketers must resist the temptation to launch another plain vanilla corporate ad that talks about the current crisis but does little. Empathy is important, but it’s more important to actually do something to help. People are smart enough to work out when you do."
2. Be relevant
   According to Read, "Loyalty is up for grabs. We’re seeing more than one-third of U.S. consumers choosing brands they normally wouldn’t. And, it’s worth noting, 80% of Americans are likely to support a brand that has taken action and helped communities impacted by COVID-19. Don’t count on these new preferences being temporary."
3. Be disruptive
   Read says, "Planning now for an uncertain but hopeful future means making contingencies, anticipating different scenarios, and being ready to respond as things shift day to day. It’s moments like these when we all need to embrace creativity and collaboration, and to focus not only on getting through today, but on the possibilities of tomorrow."

More at: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-resources/organizational-culture/helping-customers-in-a-disrupted-market/?

This post is brought to you by 123eGuides.com. 123 eGuides are a series of authoritative guides about branding, marketing and small business published exclusively in electronic format to provide maximum value at minimum cost.

Check out the new book featuring 156 best and worst brands of the 50s and 60s!

1 Minute Advice: Digital Shopping Soars

Not surprisingly, the pandemic that continues to plague the U.S. and the world has had a massive impact on consumers shopping online. eMarketer predicts that more than 204 million consumers age 14 and older will make a purchase online this year. The 45-plus age group will be especially active: two-thirds of online shoppers will be over 45, adding nearly 5 million new digital buyers in that category. 

eMarketer suggests "it’s likely that consumers who have tried online shopping for the first time will stick with it, at least for occasional purchases." That's good news for any business with an active digital presence and e-commerce capabilities.

This post is brought to you by 123eGuides.com. 123 eGuides are a series of authoritative guides about branding, marketing and small business published exclusively in electronic format to provide maximum value at minimum cost.

Check out the new book featuring 156 best and worst brands of the 50s and 60s!

1 Minute Advice: Brands Must Stand Against Racism

According to a new flash poll conducted by leading PR firm Edelman:

"Sixty percent of respondents said that brands must take a stand to publicly speak out against racial injustice. That same 60 percent of Americans said that they will buy or boycott a brand based on if and how it responds to the current protests.

"Young adults—ages 18-34—are the most proactive in their response, with 78 percent of respondents saying that a brand must speak out, versus 48 percent of those 55 plus."

In addition, "Four times as many respondents say that taking a stand gains brand trust versus loses it."

According to CEO Richard Edelman, "This is a deeply important study. We have proven that brands can no longer dodge America’s original sin and third rail: systemic racism and inequality."

Read more about the poll here: https://www.edelman.com/research/universal-demand-change 

This post is brought to you by 123eGuides.com. 123 eGuides are a series of authoritative guides about branding, marketing and small business published exclusively in electronic format to provide maximum value at minimum cost.

Check out the new book featuring 156 best and worst brands of the 50s and 60s!

1 Minute Advice: 3 Strategies for a Soft Marketing Pipeline

Demand for many products and services is down right now -- so how do you get your marketing pipeline chugging along again? Writing for Marketing Profs, Bhaskar Roy of Workato shares three smart ideas:

1. Maximize inbound leads by responding in five minutes or less
   Roy cites research that indicates only 42 percent of B2B companies respond to leads within five days, much less five minutes! You can differentiate yourself by being extra responsive right now. Needs have changed and prospects could be looking for more responsive, new vendors.
2.  Make buyer intent data actionable
   Roy suggests automating processes so you can have buyer intent data available quickly. High-intent accounts need to be quickly identified so sales people can act on them immediately.
3. Provide incentive to attend virtual events
   Virtual events have become the leading if not the only option in many cases right now. Roy suggests using "high-quality, engaging content that provides real value and makes your audience feel good about themselves for attending, and think about how you'll get them to not only attend but also stick around for the entire event."

This post is brought to you by 123eGuides.com. 123 eGuides are a series of authoritative guides about branding, marketing and small business published exclusively in electronic format to provide maximum value at minimum cost.

Check out the new book featuring 156 best and worst brands of the 50s and 60s!

1 Minute Advice: Brands React to National Crisis

It seemed like one national crisis -- the coronavirus pandemic -- was enough to challenge brand marketers, many of whom chose to celebrate and thank frontline workers. Now another national crisis, inspired by the racially charged killing of George Floyd, has erupted, and some major brands are making their views known. A new PRNEWS survey indicates that 43 percent of PR professionals are featuring diversity and inclusion content in their internal and external messaging.

PRNEWS cites several major brands taking action, including Nike, who launched an ad last Friday in which the company changed its memorable "Just Do It" tagline to a strong anti-racism message with the plea, "Don't Do It." Capitol Records, a label with a long history of black artists, said they would observe "Black Out Tuesday," pausing all business on Tuesday, June 2 in solidarity with Black colleagues. The NBA Washington Wizards, based in D.C., issued a united statement from its players that, among other things, stated, "We will no longer shut up and dribble." All of these examples prove that brands cannot be tone deaf.

This post is brought to you by 123eGuides.com. 123 eGuides are a series of authoritative guides about branding, marketing and small business published exclusively in electronic format to provide maximum value at minimum cost.

Check out the new book featuring 156 best and worst brands of the 50s and 60s!