OYO’s Mayur Hola on the marketing strategy which brands need to follow in the time of Covid-19

© Provided by The Financial Express
Mayur Hola – head of global brand, OYO Hotels & Homes

At a time when everyone is trying to look beyond the pandemic called Covid-19, communication needs to be crafted carefully by brands. From creating awareness to showing empathy-are some of the ways brands can remain relevant. Mayur Hola – head of global brand, OYO Hotels & Homes talks about how brands can remain pertinent in the time of Covid-19. (Edited excerpts)

On the marketing strategy brands should follow to remain relevant

The first and foremost thing is to understand consumers as friends. Having said that, what do good mates do? They stay in touch, they check on each other. A good mate is right there when you need one most. With or without you asking. They make you laugh when you’re low. They make you feel good about yourself.

A friend knows you really well and responds to your needs in a way that is familiar and distinctive and helpful. Not salesy, put on and fake. He or she is relevant simply because they don’t try too hard. They anticipate, respond and communicate. Similar, is the case for brands when communicating with their consumers.

On the dos and don’ts, brands need to follow when communicating with consumers

Be friendly, be chill, be easy-going, be fun, just be good to have around without being overbearing or cheap. Don’t sound like someone else, just consistently sound like yourself. Be willing to give because friendship is a give and take relationship. Make all decisions based on helping and raising them higher and they will in turn raise you. Finally don’t, please don’t assault them with needy messages across all their social handles all the time.

On the periodicity of the conversation

If you’ve got something interesting, fun, relevant to say then by all means show up in their inbox or notif centre. If you’ve got something quirky, relatable or just randomly cool to share, you can slide up in their feed everyday.

On how to maintain trust with consumers

Trust is as trust does. And it’s built over a long time. One action doesn’t build trust and the great news amongst good mates is that one fail doesn’t lose trust. Do right by your friends over and over and you have them for life. For a long time anyway.

On how to look after employees as they are also representatives of the brand

In these times, organizations are doing the best they can to stay afloat for themselves and their employees. There are millions of job losses across the world and the best an organisation can do is to value their family and care for those with them now and those who have departed.

On communicating with consumers post Covid-19

Context changes, friendship doesn’t. We see each other more often and we find new things to chat about. Less morbid things.

Read Also: Dish TV’s Sukhpreet Singh on the marketing strategy which brands need to follow in the time of Covid-19

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