A couple weeks ago, I was on a video conference call with some colleagues. As we chatted about the challenges that businesses currently face and how we could pool our talents to help them through, one said “Yeah, I feel like we’re witnessing a lot of improvisational marketing right now.”
My brain started rollicking with this idea of “Improv Marketing”. This is what I had been seeing since late March when the pandemic came crashing down on the US. Businesses that never said a peep before were active on Facebook. Wacky promotions started popping up (“Free Industrial TP with Ka Soi”). Stores developed new products and brought them to virtual market in 24 hours (face masks from an art gallery). Consultants that never shut up went dark. Top reservation-only restaurants paused, saying they’d be back “later.”
It seemed like all the rules were bent, new or gone. But nothing was wrong.
I love comedians and sketch comedy, but have never taken an improv class (Hopefully Megan Bryant will help me change that soon.) I knew there were rules for improv, but didn’t know what they were, so I Googled it. Turns out, there are a lot of different sources for the Rules of Improv. Here are the ones that I think are the most illustrative of this new era of marketing and communication.
So how is Improv like Marketing?
It’s a system. In improv, there are multiple players, or the player plays against an audience or prop. There are ways for moving the scene forward (“Yes, and…” “Add new information.”)
Your marketing system can be procedural, following a series of steps to get you to an anticipated result. This is great for cranking out a long-term campaign. Or maybe your system is to evaluate frequently so you can make messaging or budgeting adjustments.
Improv sets up a scene. Players establish their background quickly, provide details about their surroundings and show their relationship to partners.
Your business is the scene. Your marketing should set it up. If your hours, product pick up, product mix or audience has changed, use your marketing to communicate this creatively and efficiently.
There are no mistakes. Only opportunities. Tiny Fey noted this in her book Bossypants.
6 weeks ago, I never would have said this.
THEN: How-to videos for a complicated assembly project? Storyboard it, hire a pro videographer/editor and come up with a mini marketing plan for the series.
NOW: Prop up your cell phone on a book, press record.
Now is the time to try new social media channels, video, podcasts, writing, print ads (subscriptions are up at my local paper), exterior signage, email marketing. Try anything you haven’t tried before (or tried with less than average gusto). You’ll have a lot of tolerance from your customers for quality (or lack of it), message (as long as it’s accurate and not offensive) and frequency.
This likely won’t be the case forever, so take advantage of it now. Have fun with it. Be wacky. Be bold. Ask for forgiveness.
