Tariff-Proof Tactics for Marketers

The news cycle never stops changing when it comes to the economy. Tariffs are sky-high one day and on pause the next, and the constant shift is affecting global markets everywhere.

But unpredictability is nothing new for marketers. From tightening data privacy laws, to the demise of third-party cookies—to even COVID-19—adaptability has always been an unspoken part of the job description.

That means there’s a way forward—all that’s needed is honing in on three key pillars: prioritizing transparency and education, conveying value, and staying agile.  

Clear Communication Between Brands and Customers

Tariffs have undeniably impacted inflation, consumer spending, and brand loyalty—or lack thereof. But the solution isn’t just grinning and bearing it. Instead, be up front with customers and use automated, real-time solutions to keep them in the loop. For example, let customers know the best time to purchase by integrating live inventory feeds and alerting them in advance about potential price hikes. Brands like Great Jones, Cocokind, and Wayfair are a great examples of this honest and clear approach: 

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Value Beyond Pricing

When the economy is in flux, customers’ first response is to cut down on discretionary spending. And while marketers can and should highlight their planned promotions and price cuts, they don’t want to overdiscount at risk of damaging their margins.

Luckily, there are other effective ways to convey value. Using personalization to create a nuanced, relevant experience is a tried-and-true tactic for increasing the likelihood of engagement and, ultimately, revenue. But that’s not all—marketers can highlight specific product features that demonstrate the item’s unique value, or even display where the product was made to meet consumers’ growing desire to support local economies. Brands like Lenovo are already ahead of the curve with this tactic, and seeing positive results from their efforts. 

Agile, Dynamic Content

When markets are changing quickly, marketers need to be even more swift. In times like these, leaning on automated, dynamic content using templatization is even more critical.

What does that look like? It means relying on flexible email wireframes that allow you to swap and update modules without recoding. Additionally, prioritizing creatives that are built to adjust to any customer’s data will save you the long headache of constantly generating net-new imagery. This allows marketers to gain more value out of their best creatives, all while making it simple to automatically update email content—even after the message has been sent. That’s exactly what Staples Canada did for changing deals in their promotional campaign. All they needed was a Website Data Source to keep content relevant and they were set.

Create Your Own Economy-Proof Strategy

Curious how you can follow in the footsteps of these major brands and sail through any economic climate with ease? Book a call with us today and explore more of our resources below.