Marketing in 2020 is an ever-evolving challenge that many of you are facing. Though major events through the year have brought about many questions and the need to refocus, even small changes may make you wonder if it’s time to rethink your strategy. But I can tell you that you’re not alone here. I’ve been much more conscious this year in making sure that our marketing efforts are utilized in the most beneficial, relevant and sensitive matter. 

Many might see the ever-changing world and workplace as a challenge, but it’s also an opportunity. You may ask yourself, “With all the fear, uncertainty and unprecedented nature of this year, how could this possibly be an opportunity?” And the answer is simple: growth. You and your colleagues have the opportunity to grow your company in the most positive manner. This year has given all of us time to reflect on what’s really important, and this applies to more than just our personal lives, it applies to our organizations and our marketing efforts. Here are just a few tips you can use to make sure your company is growing just as much as we are day to day.

1. First and foremost, you need to reevaluate your goals and how you will achieve them. Just as many of your personal goals have shifted during this year, your businesses' will need to as well. The way business is done now, simply put, is completely different than it was even just a year ago. It’s important to sit down and look at what your previous goals were and decide what needs to be re-evaluated. And what you may need to overhaul. By refocusing your goals, your marketing will be more likely to reach your consumers in the way they both want and need to be reached. If you’re sticking to goals that may now be outdated, you risk losing your reach through your marketing efforts.

2. Make sure you know which medium is best for your marketing message. Consumers are adapting to new ways of processing information and are inundated with so much information right now that you need to make sure you’re reaching them with the perfect medium and message. Some messaging is better suited to social-media marketing, some to email marketing, and so on. You need to make sure that you know the right medium for each message.

3. Make sure your message is appropriate. Timing is everything, and with the many changes this year has brought, I’m sure many of you have had to readjust your messaging throughout this year. I have had to re-think messaging and scheduling several times this year, sometimes at the very last-minute. There will always be time for important marketing initiatives to be put out into the world. however, if your message is put out at the wrong time, it can leave a bad taste in consumers' mouths. And that negative connotation could have detrimental side-effects to your organization.

4. When in doubt, don’t. This really ties back into appropriate medium and messaging. If you’re overthinking the marketing plans, the message, the medium, the timing, chances are your instincts are correct. It is better to raise concerns and figure out the best possible solution then to promote a message or product in the wrong way.

5. Embrace the digital landscape. With more people working from home than ever, and many organization more heavily focused on online business, it is important that your organization adjusts to this. This digital landscape is not going anywhere and if your marketing has not adjusted to this, your company may not survive this year as strongly as others, if at all.

6. Have a clear and concise marketing strategy. It is important to strategize exactly how you’re going to achieve your goals and how to do so in the most strategic manner. By laying out a full marketing strategy for each campaign, project and even general marketing, it is less likely that curveballs will derail plans in the same way it would without one. This year has shown important times that strategy needs to shift or be completely changed. With guidelines in place it can make these adjustments in strategy that much easier, which puts your organization in a much stronger place.

These are just a few tips that can help with your marketing efforts, but there are many more out there. I encourage all of you to really look at what others in the life insurance and marketing industries are doing. This will help you see what works, what doesn’t, and likely will inspire you in some way. There is a strong marketer in all of us; make sure that marketer is as adaptable to as many changes as we've seen this year.