In an unprecedented arrival, the Covid-19 outbreak had disrupted the way we work and engage in our daily lives. The impact had affected consumer behaviours and attitudes and at the same time ushered in an accelerated digital adoption rate. Within the recent months, digital experiences had started to replace in-person experience, with some of the new habits expected to stick around even after the crisis passes.
“Covid-19 has impacted countries all around the world and with no cure in sight, social distancing is the only way to limit the spread of the virus. As a result, buying patterns have been drastically altered,” says Nor Azuwa Mohd Isa, Senior Manager and Head of WBN Initiative.
Nor Azuwa spoke at the #iEmPOWER, an initiative by the WIEF Businesswomen Network on empowering women through entrepreneurship programmes.
She went on to say that marketing strategies among women entrepreneurship have to evolve in these uncertain times as well as in the future. It is an opportunity she says, to pick up on consumer behaviour changes and virtually engage with consumers in new ways.
“Digital content marketing isn’t new. We’ve been practicing it since far longer than the term existed, as did many others. Researchers showed that the majority of organisations use content marketing, in the sense of using content for any possible marketing or customer-facing role, regardless of content format, environment or channel,” she says.
Nor Azuwa further tells BusinessToday that personal branding for women entrepreneurship is important, regardless of the industry they are in.
“It can help in attracting potential clients, customers, job offers and opportunities,” she adds.
Making a strong first impression on various social media platform is not easy, she says. The WIEF Women Spokesperson also says that engaging content, self-promotion, credibility and confidence are some of the basic elements of successful personal branding.
As social media presence is increasingly being considered an extension of our personal identities, Angeline Ann Samuel, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of A TECH, Malaysia, who was also present at #iEmPOWER as a speaker and trainer shares with BusinessToday that social media platforms often defines consumers and businesses perceive entrepreneurs thus it is essential to invest some time in curating one’s online presence in order to highlight strengths and to also connect with others.
“Context is your ticket to reaching the goal of creating a personalised experience for your prospects,” she says.
And in order to build good marketing skills and to deliver a strong storytelling brand , Angeline believes that female entrepreneurs should build relationships with people who are interested in their business and at the same time be sure to reach out to audiences who matter to their craft. She also encourages them to communicate with consumers on social media through the comment section as well as responding to direct messages about the business.
“Use a content calendar to organise posts and schedule them in advance. Be sure to identify themes as they can be seasonal,” Angeline adds on, encouraging female entrepreneurs to choose themes that lend themselves to the brand’s personality and products.
“The six things people would expect from your content would be value, trust, empowerment, hope, community and results. Be sure to also take advantage of the latest video features and tools and put them to good use,
“Stories are a powerful engagement tool. With stories, you can drive traffic to a new post or a product page,” she adds. She also stresses that effective marketing strategies also work when entrepreneurs aim for the unconventional. This will include experimenting with filters and drawing tools as well as video editing tools.
“Equally as important, don’t neglect sound. Be sure to treat viewers to a multisensory experience,” she says.
