In mid-March (which feels like a decade ago), our world turned upside down. But, we were not alone.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced workers and their companies to re-evaluate a lot of things. How they work, when they work, the best ways to be productive, and just generally how to keep ourselves together. We’re fortunate to not have much experience in dealing with global pandemics, but we’re also fortunate to be equipped with the means and technology to make quick adjustments and keep pushing forward.
That said, three months ago we were as unsure as everyone else about the future, but we remained focused on our core practices, our employees, and our clients.
Sure, we were a bit nervous about how things would go with our entire staff working remotely—but we’re going to take a brief moment to acknowledge our team. We really came together, even if we were miles away from each other and our clients.
This time apart has taught us some valuable lessons about empathy, teamwork, and seizing opportunities. We’re going to use this blog to dive into what the Kreber team has been up to the last few months, and shed some light on what’s ahead.
Proactive & Reactive Communication
When it comes to their businesses, our clients know their stuff.
Our job is to leverage their knowledge and use our marketing experience to help them get to the next level. Whether that’s brand awareness, more sales, or ideating around a product launch, we can confidently arrive at a creative solution.
But when it comes to a global pandemic, suddenly we don’t know as much as we thought we did.
Several of our clients were full steam ahead during the lockdown, but obviously, the way we marketed their businesses needed to be different. On a granular level, the way we communicated with clients was changing, too. It didn’t take long to get used to video calls and lengthier email exchanges—even when talking about how to (in some cases) completely shift a marketing strategy.
It’s been so important for us to look down the road and plan the next few months for our clients, but equally so has been keeping ourselves in the present. COVID-19 presents new hurdles and curveballs every day, and having open lines of communication with clients strengthened our working relationships.
Perfecting Best-in-Class Service Offerings
One of the big takeaways from the last three months is the surge in ecommerce. Groceries, household products, hand sanitizer, wine, takeout...nearly anything you could want or need (except t.p.) was more readily available online, and people were clamoring for it.
But that shift to ecomm didn’t happen overnight.
What we noticed was that so many brands and retailers weren’t ready to scale their ecommerce platforms quickly, and those who were getting left behind ran the risk of being left behind for good.
If you aren’t providing customers a seamless, intuitive experience online, they’ll shop elsewhere. That’s why we’ve spent a lot of time building a best-in-class enhanced product content offering, helping businesses strengthen their ecommerce and get more conversions.
A Quick and Effective Pivot
Content marketing is an investment, but one that we encourage all of our clients to take a long, hard look at.
2020 is the perfect time to ramp up your content marketing efforts, too. Customers are demanding more customized and intuitive shopping experiences, they’re using search more often, and they want to be heard.
We’ve worked closely with one of our clients, a global B2B furniture provider, throughout the pandemic to pivot and reposition its content. We helped it stay the course in the first few weeks, then we dove deep into research and crafted a new content marketing plan—one that was responsive to the current environment and helped the company meet the moment.
Not only did our client partners recognize the need to re-evaluate, but the work was truly a collaborative effort. The approach positioned the company as an industry thought leader not just in content, but in its ability to provide practical solutions to pressing issues.
Preparing for Full Strength at Our Studios
For more than 30 years, Kreber has been a leading photography resource for clients in furniture, home fashions, appliances, and many other categories.
Our two studios (in Columbus, Ohio and High Point, North Carolina) together cover more than seven acres of space, making Kreber a convenient and well-equipped option to handle a variety of photography needs. While we paused some studio services out of an abundance of caution during March and April, we’re back, with a focus on health and safety, doing what we do best. (At each studio, we’ll have spaces that ensure social distancing and follow CDC guidelines, with proper sanitization and regular cleaning of all surfaces.)
As things begin to ramp back up, we also hope your return to work—whether that’s in the office, at home, or a combination of both—is a safe and smooth transition.
If you’re interested in Enhanced Product Content, content marketing, photography, or any of Kreber’s service offerings, drop us a line and we’ll be in touch.
