With everything and how well it can be thought that it has reacted to the global crisis, with everything and its exponential growth in internet access, the truth in Latin America many brands are still suspicious about investing in social media or not. In times of crisis it is normal to cut expenses, but what is not profitable for any brand, neither here nor in any part of the globe, is cutting in vital areas for companies such as advertising or customer acquisition, aspects that have been invigorated thanks to the extensive use of social networks.
The statement that "in times of crisis advertising should be increased" (and contact via social networks), although obvious, is not necessarily shared by customers. When a company begins to have financial problems, the first thing it cuts is the marketing budget, which is a big mistake, since the best way to increase sales is by showing itself to the consumer, and the more the better. Advertising is a good strategy so that the crisis affects the company as little as possible. If a brand is more present than its competition… who will sell more? Although it seems incredible, there are still those who do not see social networks as the best advertising investment, and they even find it an unnecessary expense.
At the end of the day it is a very simple equation: if a brand is not advertised, nobody knows it, and if nobody knows it, it does not sell. Some time ago, in our article Why should your brand be present in Social Media? We listed a good number of reasons why it was positive to invest in Social Media. Today we want to emphasize why social media is an indispensable ally in times of crisis and how this medium can benefit brands, serving as a bridge between communication strategies and their target audience.
Although experts feel that in communication 2.0, total control over the brand has been lost, given that the consumer has the power to speak well or badly about brands, now the advertiser must get used to hearing negative things about their product and discover that when the consumer speaks, the message is perceived as notably more credible compared to other forms of advertising.
You should also appreciate the positives of how quickly social media allows news to spread, as well as the ability to communicate directly with potential customers and consumers.
That "let's open a page on Facebook, sell and that's it" doesn't work. In times of crisis, brands must avoid arrogant or distant communication and be more honest than ever, be consistent in their brand positioning and show their most emotional side. A good brand management in social networks, in the long run, can only result in greater contact with our consumers and therefore in a positive positioning of the brand.
In time. crisis and when in doubt of investing or not, brands should take into account the following:
• Change perspective: facing the challenge of participating in social networks. It may not be easy but the challenge can be a motivation to do it in the best possible way.
• Reorient the budget: focused on highlighting only how good we are and focusing it on discovering and satisfying the needs of our consumers.
• Make the most of new technologies: experimenting in a way to present yourself in an innovative but close way. It is not an easy task but it is possible.
• Make a special emphasis on statistics: your analysis can provide answers about how the brand is perceived and how it can improve.
On the other hand, it is very important to integrate online actions and offline actions, since both have the objective of attracting and converting customers. Brands must understand that while social media can be a slightly cheaper alternative to traditional media, it is in the mix where success lies. It is incredible that many brands having their space on web 2.0 still do not exploit it correctly, separating the public captured on the web from the public captured through printed publications, for example. There are even brands that handle different messages in each medium,thus losing the opportunity to convert to open marketing or that new marketing where the message is not sent unidirectionally but it is possible to shape it with the participation of consumers themselves, who with their likes and comments can give strength to a brand or put it in trouble.
Lack of investment may be more a matter of fear of the unknown, terror of consumer reaction, lack of education about the power of social media, not knowing the answer to the famous question “ how do I get my investment back? when I invest in social media ”or simply because their presence on web 2.0 is not considered a priority. Whatever the reason, it is well known that brands must bet on social networks as an effective channel that enriches contact with their consumers and that it must be part of the so-called marketing mix. Without a doubt.
As a conclusion, consider that brands that think that social networks are a passing fad or that they are only going to invest when they see that their competition has given results will surely be left behind and quite possibly lose a good opportunity to maintain contact with their audience. Even their late reaction can be even more costly to reverse than to dare to use web 2.0, a medium that does nothing more than empower brands that do not hesitate but act. No matter what happens to the economy, staying in touch with our consumers must be a priority.
