The Tricky Business Of Retail Marketing In A Pandemic
Despite the surge of e-commerce in the last two decades, personal transactions remain the lifeblood of most retailers, big and small. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic that has been arrested, with stores locked and even boarded up, and mall parking lots empty. Retail workers and small businesses have borne the brunt of the situation, leaving them in a precarious state. Larger chains are scrambling to shore up their finances and shift their emphasis to online sales and marketing, even as they slash their marketing budgets. Marketing, in the sense of communicating with customers, is where things get tricky. The emphasis must be on “helping, not selling,” according to Deb Gabor, CEO and founder of Sol Marketing and author of “Irrational Loyalty: Building a Brand that Thrives in Turbulent Times.” Read more at Retail Dive.
