COVID-19 Thoughts: Your customers still need you. 4 ways to create content for them.

I'll save you the preamble. We know this is bad. As marketers, we need to all evaluate whether a global recession is a time to pull back content budgets or step on the gas (hello exercise apps and home delivery).

What I believe is the one constant during these times is that every brand must maintain some semblance of brand presence. Your customers (subliminally or overtly) will remember how your brand reacted.

The other constant, is now more than ever it is important that your branded content adds value to new and existing customers. This is not the time for a hard sell.

Here are four content ideas from BeeRoll's experience over the years creating video with Fortune 100 brands and startups. Depending on your brand, there is an opportunity for you to educate, entertain and inspire your customers. Pick up a phone and start filming something!

The Branded PSA (EDUCATE)

Your brand is hopefully a hub of knowledge around a subject or subjects. Your brand can bring new knowledge and insight. This doesn’t have to (and likely shouldn’t be) medical guidance. People are in a new reality inside their homes for almost every waking hour. 

What are interesting ways to stay entertained? How can we cope with anxiety? What DIY home solutions exist for the problems of co-habitating? How do we stay connected? There’s plenty of knowledge to be dropped...as long as you’re a credible brand to drop that knowledge. 

How to do it: Invite your executives, employees, customers to film a quick video offering COVID-19 tips to stay safe while lightly engaging with your product.

Message: Just some small ideas to help you out.

The Quarantine Challenge (ENTERTAIN)

TikTok has showed us the power of content challenges - where everyday people create and consume content from the comfort of their homes as part of a hashtag. Guess what? Your customers are (hopefully) staying put at home and looking for any way to break the anxiety cycle. Your brand could be soap, spaghetti, a hair brush, beer (definitely need more of that). It doesn't matter. If customers are using it as part of their routine in the new normal, challenge them to share it. You brand can help create authentic human connection.

How to do it: Launch a simple hashtag challenge on social media. Invite your customers to show us a day in their life by filming a quick video or snapping a photo.

Message: This is a shared experience and we're getting through it.

The E-commerce Reminder (EDUCATE)

Almost every brand is rethinking its delivery channels right now. Are you products sold in brick and mortar channels? Are you a quick service restaurant? Sure your key channel is temporarily not available or limited. Now is the time to promote that delivery app your company built but hasn't seen immense traction. Remind customers that your products are available through your website or third party channels like Walmart.com or Amazon etc.

How to do it: Invite customers to film videos purchasing your product or service through an alternate delivery channel (e.g., mobile app, website).

Message: We're still here and adapting to support you.

The New Customer Intro (INSPIRE)

We are of the mindset that you shouldn't be hard selling new customers right now. Times are hard for everyone and people don't want to feel attacked by lower funnel sales tactics. That said, this is a opportune time to offer your product / service for free (or extreme discount) to new customer segments that you before might not have considered. This works a lot better if your product provides tangible value in this current environment.

How to do it: Partner with influencers / existing customers to give an intro to the product and / or try some "first time reviews."

Message:Try this, why not?

Brian is BeeRoll's Founder and CEO. Questions / thoughts? Shoot him a note at brian@beeroll.io