We are sure that this is not going to be the first article that you have read so far this year which begins by stating the obvious, 2020 has been the most disruptive year since peacetime and has brought a whirlwind of change for businesses and individuals alike.

In our last article, we discussed how these changes have impacted businesses from a financial perspective, with many having to make redundancies or budget cuts, or even worse, have had to close the doors altogether, not having managed to weather the storm. With the environment around us ever changing, both from political, health and business standpoints, as well as quite literally from an environmental perspective, some may have thought that a business’s reaction to this change would be to ‘go slow and steady the ship’ but, in many cases, this is far from what has resulted in 2020.

Due to the increasingly digital world in which we live, Covid-19 did not offer businesses or individuals the chance to ‘go slow and steady the ship’, but in many cases did quite the opposite and provided a huge amount of pressure and very little time to adapt to the digital space, as this was the only option. As the world moved online in what seemed like a heartbeat, whether to work virtually or to partake in social gatherings, hobbies, purchase assets or continue education at any level, it barely allowed people the opportunity to ‘take a breath’.

From a marketing perspective, there were a few dramatic shifts, the most important being the widened audience that was suddenly available to market through digital channels. Many generations whom were not well versed in technology previously were suddenly figuring out how to ‘Zoom’ their families and friends, shopping online and were forced to take a giant leap forward in terms of integrating these platforms into their daily lives if they were to continue to be connected to the outside world.

In addition, it wasn’t only the demographic that shifted, but the sheer volume of customers that were suddenly online daily for a myriad of reasons. There is little additional explanation required as to how important digital marketing has become.

The only way brands have been able to capture the attention of their prospects this year, with meetings and events cancelled in many cases for almost an entire year, is by creating a strong digital presence so that their target customers are well informed. Through a strong digital presence, aligned to a strategy, purpose and values, businesses can connect, inform and create an affiliation with their customers. Whether announcing a new product, organising a virtual or physical event or launching an online campaign, reaching your target audience through digital means is much easier and, depending on the numbers that you want to reach, is much cheaper than offline means.

A brand is as good as their target audience recognising it. If you are not making enough buzz in the market then you are working in vain away from what is sure to continue to be a vital aspect of business success. Whether your goal in increasing marketing efforts in 2020 is to gain new leads, conversions or downloads, sell a product, smarten up your brand or get support in managing your daily affairs in a virtual manner, this is something that En Avant can help you with.

Let’s roll with the tide and move forward together, no one wants to be left behind as we enter what is sure to be a thriving 2021.