Getting ready for what comes next

This is tough to approach because there are still so many unknowns. Inevitably, there will be a rush for the start line, with businesses from all sectors clamouring to make up for lost time. That's why it's vitally important you stay in people's minds now, so when a sense of normality returns, yours is the first business they think of.

At Jarrang, this is what we're doing:

• Reviewed all expenditure - not just for COVID-19, but for the time beyond. We're asking: Is it necessary? Could we get a better deal?
• Taking the time to pick up the phone and call each and every client to find out how they are - no agenda. Believe it or not, people have more time to talk than usual and appreciate the gesture. Even though it wasn't the intention, we've even picked up more business as a result because usually busy marketing managers are currently able to think about their long term projects without the usual distractions
• Getting our house in order. Reviewing our reporting suite and process for sharing with clients; reviewing our technology stack and taking the opportunity of a lull in proceedings to improve efficiencies.
• Peeled back on promotional spend to focus our marketing comms on helpful, thought leadership information sharing.

What are we expecting next?

During the pandemic we have seen good and bad decisions being made. Some sectors are naturally stronger than others. While our activity with the travel industry has reduced by 75%, other sectors, such as financial services and online retail have doubled.

We have clients who have needed to reduce their call centre teams and move their communications to email; and brokers who are actively trading on the volatility of the market using email to communicate buying signals to their clients in a timely manner.

Lockdown measures are being eased with more people returning to work and, although social distancing will be in place for a long time to come, it's inevitable that we'll adapt to 'the new normal' and businesses who have adapted due to the pandemic will continue with their new service offerings.

It's also likely that hospitality will be one of the last sectors to recover, but when it does, we expect the UK domestic market will recover faster, and ahead of the international travel market. Families who have been "locked up" for the last few months will be keen for a change of scenery and people are likely to have more confidence in travel within the UK than hopping on a plane to foreign climes.

With significant reservation cancellations across the board, when the green light is given for reopening, we expect high demands from our hoteliers to speak with their previous guests to generate short term bookings and get the hotels filled as soon as possible (and to refill the depleted coffers).

Obviously this will be a lot easier for those hoteliers and travel companies who have continued to talk to their valued guests over the last couple of months.

The early bird catches the worm.

There are things you can still control. And while learning a new language, becoming a master baker, and perfecting your violin playing skills while at the same time juggling the stress of a global pandemic are beyond many of us, there are useful, practical things you can be doing.

Maybe now is the time to take a look at your database and think about segmentation for the future. How could those segments and a comms plan directed at them help to increase conversions rates when the time is right?

We know we'll be ready to go and we're here for you if you want to make sure your email marketing is in the best place it can be to help you be ready for what comes next.

‍