Consumer Behavior & Marketing Practices after the Pandemic

Everything which was a given or was constant pre- COVID 19 has turned topsy turvy, the routine which was a given earlier is now rapidly changing, therefore, people are changing their priorities and way of living. Marketing is one field which is highly dynamic and there shall be possible permanent alterations that have to be incorporated to keep up with the changing times.

Need of the hour- Focus on the basics

 To say the table of needs has inverted won’t be wrong, as the basic needs and necessities have gained prominence and luxury goods and services have taken a hit, which is true for obvious reasons, as people are losing jobs and source of livelihood, managing finances prudently is the need of the hour and even if not that, then since people are mostly spending most of their time indoors, hence spending on items apart from necessity, don’t create much value. This is where businesses dealing in essential services, goods and commodities or selling medicines or safety goods are in a good position to overcome this pandemic and shall stay afloat even after COVID-19 gets over. Unfortunately, the news isn’t that great for tourism sector, entertainment or the beauty industry, per se and a lot of strategic re-working has to be undertaken.

For instance brands like Sephora, L’Oreal, Bobbi Brown, etc. are offering customers’ virtual make-up application try-ons, this has ushered in a wave of tech-based virtual customer acquisition and interaction, thus, where companies may not need the conventional brick- and – mortar stores but can carry on business virtually. Therefore, the immense importance of a strong virtual presence and an interactive website can’t be undermined and Zivanta Marketing can help you in achieving that advantageous spot for you.

Changes in Consumer pattern- Areas to focus on      

1. The Three ‘E’s – E-commerce, Education and Entertainment – E-commerce activities have jumped to a new high during the pandemic and this trend has been noted worldwide, be it for delivery of essentials, grocery, medicines or anything under the roof. People prefer shopping online, whilst sitting at home and avoiding contact with others due to safety concerns and this trend shall definitely continue, more-so, small online players too have picked up the pace and have created their own niche during this time, thereby not only building loyal customers but also building a reputation for selves.

Education – With children staying at home and studying online, so are the college going youth, therefore a lot of online education portals have taken up this space to encourage people to effectively enhance their skill-set. Latest, jumping on the bandwagon are the working and experienced professionals, who have enrolled themselves in these online courses to not only brush up their skills but also keep themselves abreast with the latest developments and progress professionally, for instance platforms like Udemy, Domestika are offering professional, short-term courses at cheaper rates to attract people and have considerably captured a huge market.

(P.C. – Unsplash, @thomascpark)

2. Focus on no-touch product and service delivery – With still major parts of our activity being digital-based, there is still an overwhelming need felt for human-based interactions in some crucial sectors like retail, thus, there arises the need for low and no-touch delivery. From QR code reading to text messages, outside post pickup and delivery, organizations are changing service standards and operations to meet the new safety standards and expectations around adapting to consumer and employee health and safety practices.

Although with these changes being introduced, retailers shall continue to find new ways to display products and services in a safe environment, thus, they should actively leverage tools which can work with the help of augmented reality, virtual reality and building sapid websites that facilitate online orders and/or other e-commerce features.

3.Tapping changes in eating habits – With the pandemic unleashing its wrath on the immunity of the people, there was an unprecedented spurt observed in the focus of the people changing towards health and immunity-boosting foods and avoiding outside food, rather focusing on home-cooked food. In the post-pandemic order, once people start their hectic routine life, they shall still look for healthier options but those too shall be quick and easy, hence, opening avenues for small businesses who are dealing with organic packed food, healthy dietary supplements, home-based pre-cooked meals, DIY kitchen kits, etc. Therefore, there is a huge opportunity for small businesses and upcoming entrepreneurs to tap this market which has a booming potential, and build their own digital space, to not only expand their customer base but also create an interactive digital platform to support the growth of their future business expansion and Zivanta Marketing can help you do just that, by creating and launching a professional and an interactive website for your business, which customers shall love to interact with.

(P.C.- Unsplash, @kimzy)

4. Focus on mental and physical fitness- With the fear and uncertainty of the pandemic affecting even the strongest of the minds, due to lack of clarity and an unaccounted for upheaval, people have turned to online meditation and yoga classes for gaining mental peace, building mental resilience and also building a healthy physique. With sitting and working from home and, leading to a sedentary lifestyle, people have joined online gym classes to continue with a healthy lifestyle and at the same time avoiding contact with others. Therefore, tools like VR/ AR and effective use of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram etc. have helped generate buzz around these services and have enabled in creating a holistic environment wherein the beneficiaries are able to use all these services within the comfort of their homes, but most importantly have opened a plethora of opportunities for small gym-owners, health centers to build their name and reputation in the highly competitive market.

(P.C. – Unsplash, @jareddrice)

With every challenge comes an untapped opportunity, it is up-to the organization and marketers to decide, how they wish to go ahead. Nowadays, money is being invested more on digital media platforms; therefore, it shall be prudent to create a good digital media mix of mobile phone, social media and videos, by keeping in mind the reaction of your targeted audience. Focus these days, is more on personalization, a clear point of communication has to be established with the customers and most importantly, those organization/brands which focus more on the social good, definitely have an advantage as that helps builds positivity amongst people to weather these tough and negative times. Consumer patterns have changed, and that change is irrevocable, it is now for the companies to decide how to invest their money and reap a good ROI, even in these challenging times.