So you’re not seeing the response from your content marketing you expected.

It was well written, it was useful information, it was witty. So what happened?

Well, it’s more common than you might think. And over the years, we’ve discovered that there are certain pitfalls that often plague content marketers.

 Personalization is simply a must for marketers. Consumers and business buyers want personalized communications and organizations see a greater return when implementing it. In Salesforce’s Fourth Annual State of Marketing Report,  52 percent of consumers and 65 percent of business buyers stated they would switch brands if a vendor did not personalize communications. Personalization was once as simple as inserting the contact’s first name and maybe even a company, and that was all that was needed, but it has evolved to so much more.

We can all agree that coronavirus will leave behind a series of long-term consequences for marketers. And even though it’s taking about all you have to just “get through” it and put out the dilemma du jour, it is equally important to plan for the future. As tough as this is, you need to be prepared for what’s to come.

To that end, here are 5 ideas to guide you through the fog and into the future.

A new normal means new purchasing behaviors

It’s no secret, brick-and-mortar stores are taking a beating right now. And the longer “shelter in place” continues, the more consumers’ real-world buying habits will shift to e-commerce... delivery services... and curbside pick-up. So how will consumers behave when they actually start shopping in stores again?

As we move into a new decade, marketers are turning to tech more than ever. Notably, marketers are investing in CRM, automation and data. CRM has become a given, as 100% of high-growth companies use some sort of customer relationship management tool. And automation is on track to become just as ubiquitous, with 98% usage.

All of a sudden...

It’s a different world.

Many of us are now working from home.

Nobody, employee nor employers, got much notice. No one really had time to prepare. Understandably, going into this remote work situation, some employers were a bit concerned about employee productivity. But what they should really be concerned about is — employee burnout.

The coronavirus pandemic has been tough on everyone. Marketers are no exception. But dealing with changes in the marketplace is what we’re good at — right?

Well, this situation is unique, to say the least. So here are a few tips to help your campaigns remain viable during these challenging times.

It’s been a tough couple of months. And the weeks and months ahead don’t look a whole lot better.

In addition to the health crisis, there have been work stoppages, bankruptcies, plant closings and sweeping cutbacks.

Then, you put customers in quarantine and suddenly, communicating with them becomes a real challenge.

That said, now, perhaps more than ever, it is critical to communicate effectively.

You certainly don’t want to come across as tone-deaf during this time. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still address your brand initiatives. So how do you do it? How should firms communicate during the COVID-19 crisis?

They say we’re all in this crisis together. That is true. But what we do with this time is what will separate “us” from “them” when things calm down.

That’s why, during these surreal times, smart marketers are taking a long, hard look at their marketing strategies. They’re making adjustments and changes now.

Most utility companies are focused on improving their customer experience, enhancing their brand reputation and establishing themselves as thought leaders. Researchscape reports that the majority of consumers expect their utility to provide them with personalized advice. Educational content can be a useful technique to engage customers on a myriad of topics.