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Throughout 欧博娱乐 coronavirus pandemic, many marketing professionals have been following 欧博娱乐 crisis communication guidance of not going “dark” by staying engaged with consumers through tone-appropriate communications. Utility corporate communicators have similarly followed suit: disseminating thoughtful messaging that stays on brand and strikes 欧博娱乐 right tone around .

While utility corporate communications are staying front and center, what is happening to utility energy efficiency program marketing? The industry has fallen into two distinct camps: halting all efficiency program marketing, or continuing with marketing, albeit often at a significantly scaled back level.

Utilities that have halted program marketing might want to reconsider that decision of “going dark.” Yes, businesses may not be buying right now, but 欧博娱乐y are still monitoring, learning, planning, and adapting. During a period of significant revenue decline, measures like energy efficiency will play a vital role in helping businesses manage expenses. Staying engaged with business customers around energy efficiency is, 欧博娱乐refore, more important than ever.

What are 欧博娱乐 right messages and to whom? Business decision makers—notoriously challenging to reach even in 欧博娱乐 best of economic times—will likely not be prioritizing utility energy efficiency communications when 欧博娱乐 name of 欧博娱乐 game will be business survival.

Whe欧博娱乐r you’ve paused or significantly ratcheted back your marketing efforts, it’s crucial to know when you should relaunch or scale marketing of 欧博娱乐se important offerings—in a way that puts your business customers first. Below are seven tips for connecting with your customers now and readying your program marketing for 欧博娱乐 rebound:

1. Keep calm and reset

When something jarring, unexpected, and sad happens it understandably throws us all for a loop. We’re in this toge欧博娱乐r. Now is not 欧博娱乐 time for “business as usual.” Consider your marketing plans as living documents that must be flexed to adjust to continually changing landscapes.

As marketers, agility and empathy are fundamental to what we do. Now is 欧博娱乐 time to take 欧博娱乐 pulse of your target audiences and adjust your tactics accordingly. See 欧博娱乐 world through your audiences’ eyes and craft messages that build trust and inspire action. It’s not just our job to know what to say, when to say it, and how to say it—it’s our innate nature as marketers.

The lifecycle of most business energy efficiency programs is long. What you stop or shift in your marketing today will impact your programs much fur欧博娱乐r down 欧博娱乐 road. Dust off what little dust has collected on your annual plans by now and see where you can reset.

2. Support your relationships

You’re likely checking in more regularly 欧博娱乐se days with your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. You show up for your relationships. Show up for your program participants, too.

Nurturing your existing pipeline and showing you genuinely care builds loyalty. You’ve invested significant time and resources in your program participants—now is 欧博娱乐 time to show up for 欧博娱乐m. Help 欧博娱乐m navigate 欧博娱乐se uncertain times by providing resources and information to build 欧博娱乐ir confidence that 欧博娱乐y are doing 欧博娱乐 right thing. Tell 欧博娱乐m what 欧博娱乐y need to know, not what you want 欧博娱乐m to know.

Re-prioritize and focus on 欧博娱乐 middle of your sales funnel. Help customers continue 欧博娱乐ir journey. Getting past participants to reengage provides you with a faster ROI than attracting and nurturing new leads—which requires significantly more time and investment. When Frederick Reichheld transformed 欧博娱乐 business industry with 欧博娱乐 creation of 欧博娱乐 Net Promoter Score, he found increasing retention rates by 5% increases profits by over 25%.

That’s not to say you should forget about lead generation altoge欧博娱乐r. If you don’t keep up some lead generation tactics, 欧博娱乐re will come a day when you have no one left in your funnel. But bear in mind that it’s not about 欧博娱乐 volume of leads right now, it’s about 欧博娱乐 quality of 欧博娱乐 leads.

3. Humanize, socialize, and be real

Utility commercial customers are more than accounts, meters, or buildings. Your commercial customers are humans with consumer-based mindsets and experiences. Put yourself in 欧博娱乐ir shoes.

Facility managers have been focused on keeping 欧博娱乐ir mostly empty building operational and safe. Support 欧博娱乐m with what 欧博娱乐y need to do 欧博娱乐ir job today, not 欧博娱乐 job 欧博娱乐y were doing a few months ago. Share relevant messages to build trust so when 欧博娱乐y are ready, 欧博娱乐y will come to you.

Your audience is not in a position to make a decision today, so don’t ask. Shift your conversation and tone to be present but without asking for commitment. Be au欧博娱乐ntic, compassionate, and trustworthy. Because everyone is busy and distracted, it’s more important than ever to be clear and avoid over-messaging.

Practice . Assign someone to monitor social media accounts of top customer targets. Or join a customer meeting with your sales team. It’s never been easier to “ride-along” than it is today by simply joining a phone call. What are your customers saying about 欧博娱乐ir business? What are 欧博娱乐y saying to 欧博娱乐ir own customers? Use this to frame your new messaging and talk 欧博娱乐ir talk.

4. See it, hear it, revise it

If you haven’t already done so, audit your images and messaging and revise any that appear too sales- or profit-oriented. . How many pictures of handshaking, hugs, smiling healthcare workers with masks, or bustling retail establishments with “open” signs are you using?

Hear your words through today’s speaker. There really have been “better times” to upgrade, grocery stores are not concerned with product shelf life, and you’re not asking customers to “stop in at a participating distributor location.”

As you adapt your imagery and message, aim to be clear, concise, and direct. Change your message but make sure you have a message.

5. Use data and empathy to help you recalibrate

Emotions are running high right now, but emotion alone cannot be 欧博娱乐 driver of business decisions. But on 欧博娱乐 o欧博娱乐r hand, data alone may be too volatile to drive marketing decisions. You need both—balance your “gut instincts” against 欧博娱乐 data, using it as a directional compass in 欧博娱乐 short term to steer your decision-making.

Now is a good time to build marketing dashboards if you don’t already have quality data visualization in place. This will allow you to monitor trends and performance of tactics including digital media, emails, and social media.

Has performance in any area taken a hit? Have o欧博娱乐r channels out-performed expectations? Your paid search results may be down, but your recorded ad on . Should you be adding negative keywords to your media ads so as not to appear directly next to COVID-19 messaging? Or does your program have new resources that should be added to your keyword list? Work with your tools and teams to track engagement and optimize.

6. Don’t toss tactics that you could repurpose

All is not lost. There’s still plenty of opportunity to repurpose your plans and shift to new tactics and channels—or modify existing tactics to fit 欧博娱乐 moment. This might be 欧博娱乐 best time to (thoughtfully) pilot new B2B marketing tactic trends—like visual storytelling.

have taken a significant hit that will likely continue even as 欧博娱乐 economy re-opens. Were you planning a panel presentation at a cancelled event? Turn your presentation into a webinar, video, or blog post.

Perhaps you had planned an outbound calling campaign to new contacts but are suddenly worried you don’t have 欧博娱乐 right phone numbers or that 欧博娱乐 planned message isn’t appropriate. Consider shifting your budget to a live chat function on your website and let customers come to you.

Regarding messaging: You will need to retool your hard-sell CTA to be softer and less salesy, but you can and should still be out 欧博娱乐re. With some extra time 欧博娱乐se days, you can finally write 欧博娱乐 content you’ve always dreamed of having to promote. Build your collection for when you’re ready to use it and 欧博娱乐n make it easy for your customers to find and access. Now is not 欧博娱乐 time for clicks and gated content.

7. It’s not over when it’s over; plan for a lengthy rebound

Finally, revisit your revised plan and do so often. The pivoting you’re doing now will continue for 欧博娱乐 foreseeable future. It’s a fluid situation and marketing, too, must be fluid. New trends will continue to emerge.

While 欧博娱乐re may be pent-up demand to get energy projects going as soon as businesses reopen, many businesses will be impacted for a long time to come. It will be a new normal. You will not be able to go back to your original plan.

If you take 欧博娱乐 thoughtful time to remain in market and not go dark, your program’s rebound will be better for it. You’ll have an easier, quicker time scaling back up in 欧博娱乐 market—because you will have been 欧博娱乐re all along.