When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the RJL Solutions team had a very real conversation about how businesses historically have reacted to a crisis. The harsh reality is, many organizations’ first response is to cut marketing and communication budgets significantly, in some cases all together.
As a marketer, I know that eliminating your communication during a crisis could be detrimental to your business or organization. A crisis is the time to step up, make your voice heard and communicate with your customers, clients and business partners. A crisis is a time to evaluate how to strategically communicate what your mission is and what your values are.
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged businesses all over the world to re-think how they operate from a digital perspective. Brick-and-mortar reliant businesses suddenly had no way to continue to operate as normal and were forced to quickly develop a digital presence, or face shutting down all together.
Sadly, as many businesses are now learning, building a digital presence is something that is difficult to do overnight. Building a digital presence, whether it be on social media platforms, a website or an e-commerce platform, takes time to develop, and even more time to do so with an intentional and strategic approach.
For many businesses, COVID-19 has been a wake-up call that has sparked somewhat of a digital marketing revolution. Many businesses and organizations are now taking time to evaluate how to better utilize digital marketing efforts across many platforms, some for the first time.
At RJL Solutions, we pivoted our internal digital communication efforts not once, not twice, but three times since the beginning of the pandemic. Not only have we done that for our own internal processes, but we have done that for our clients as well.
Our entire team rallied to support our client family throughout this journey. Barriers between departments were bridged through digital technology and brainstorming became an entire team approach. We brainstormed, we acted, we pivoted and pivoted again. We ensured that our clients were getting their message out, strategically, intentionally and effectively. We understood and continue to understand the vital importance of digital communication during a crisis.
As a public affairs firm, we are proud of what we have done to help our clients so far during this journey. You will find that the businesses who didn't cut their marketing dollars and successfully increased their marketing efforts are the businesses that will not only survive, but thrive.
Our designated social media strategist, Shelby considers all angles to ensure a message reaches the farthest extent. Not only does Shelby take care to properly create, implement, and manage a social media strategy, but she is also extremely talented in design and has an eye for what will make the most impact on a client’s target market.
Gifford studied marketing and journalism at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Gifford’s previous work at Clabber Girl allowed her to explore her skills in design, analytics, photography, and content creation. Additionally, Gifford has applied her interest in marketing through a previous business endeavor where she and her brother launched an online clothing line company, Jade Surf Company. Gifford also devotes time to her travel blog dedicated to food, fashion, and wellness.
