Three tips for marketing through supply chain disruptions

November 18, 2022

It’s no secret that supply chain disruptions have been impacting companies and industries across the board.

In fact, 94% of Fortune 1000 companies are seeing supply chain disruptions from COVID-19, and 75% of companies have had negative or strongly negative impacts on their business. And no one really knows when the shortages will end.

With supply chain issues persisting, businesses face the challenge of trying to navigate how to market products and services during these continued disruptions. Here are three tips to help weather the supply chain storm.

Keep Marketing

Freezing your marketing efforts may seem like the correct short-term solution to supply chain issues, because marketing products you can’t sell flies in the face of pre-pandemic marketing best practices. But pausing campaigns could also negatively impact future leads, sales and revenue. This is especially true for companies in the B2B space, where longer product-development timeframes and sales cycles are the norm.

If you don’t want to continue marketing products that you can’t immediately sell, pivot and refocus your campaign efforts on promoting service offerings instead.

Be Transparent

Especially in uncertain times, it’s important to be truthful and transparent about how supply chain disruptions are impacting product accessibility.

Developing key messaging focused on factors impacting product development and delivery will help customers better understand the circumstances surrounding product availability.

Prepare Your Sales Channel

Your sales teams and dealer networks are speaking directly to frustrated customers daily, due to supply chain issues.

And they need your additional support. Provide your sales network with resources such as a supply chain disruptions training program, and informational materials that can be shared with customers. This can help prepare your sales team and give them greater confidence when fielding tough questions about product delays.

Implementing these strategic tactics will help your marketing efforts sail through supply chain disruptions.

This article was initially published by our sister company Padilla.

——— Kim Skatrud is a former Senior Account Executive at Padilla, sister company of NATIONAL Public Relations

——— Danielle Engholm is Senior Vice-President, Technolgy at Padilla, sister company of NATIONAL Public Relations

Written byKim Skatrud
Written byDanielle EngholmSenior Vice-President, Technology

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