Member Perspective: Tracy E. Fauntleroy

Guest Commentator: Tracy E. Fauntleroy, Director of Corporate Brand Marketing and Communications, Morgan Properties, @MorganProps

What innovative brand refresh practices should companies be utilizing to reach their customer-base during COVID-19?

COVID-19 has allowed us to take a step back and reevaluate how we reach our customers. The shift from communicating and showing what we’re offering in-person has challenged marketers to think outside the box when updating their strategies. With over 350 apartment communities across 15 states, I’ve had to consider how each region where Morgan Properties operates has been uniquely impacted by the pandemic. Residents who live in cities have different priorities now than those who have the entire family working and learning from home in the suburbs. By identifying the many shifts in their consumers’ wants and needs, marketers can adapt quickly by refreshing their messaging and the way it’s delivered, rather than completely rebranding, to break through the noise and reach their potential customers.

If marketers have learned one key takeaway from COVID-19, it’s that consumers are looking to get reliable information as quickly as possible. Digital marketing, whether it be via company platforms or social media, has become increasingly important in our new reality. Being able to connect your consumers with your product or service virtually is a trend we can expect to see post-pandemic. When creating a digital strategy, companies should think of it as an extension of their primary marketing strategy. For Morgan Properties, we’ve emphasized providing the same warm messages and conveying the same look and feel of the community and surrounding location as we would in person. We’ve also made contacting a resident and our safety protocol for visiting the site in-person easily accessible.

This tactic also allows companies to quickly refresh their messaging to stay relevant with the times. This year, we’ve seen a shift in many consumers’ priorities. What once drew in new customers may not work now. For example, Morgan Properties has adjusted its messaging to speak to three key groups – the city seeker, suburban millennials, and families. Each target audience has experienced the pandemic differently and it is important that we demonstrate an understanding of what they are now looking for – more space versus a closer commute to work or recreation.

We’ve seen how quickly the world around us can change. For companies to provide the same level of quality service no matter the circumstances, their marketing and branding need to shift just as fast. By refreshing the company message and incorporating a digital component into their marketing strategy, marketers will be able to continue reaching their customers with the same effectiveness.