#TheNewNormal Is Here….

How Will Your Business Adapt?

“The New Normal” is a phrase we’ve all heard in the last few months, but the definition is nebulous at best. In addition to being a middling American sitcom from 2012, “the new normal” also encompasses all of our working and living habits modified as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Naturally, this means different things to different people.

For QtheAGENCY, “the new normal” means splitting time between our homes and our office, daily Zoom meetings with the entire Q-team, and more time with our dogs working-from-home coworkers. Additionally, it means helping our clients get creative to keep businesses running when face-to-face contact is severely limited.

Retail’s New Normal:

Facilitating Online Sales, Increasing Digital Ad Spend, and Boosting Social Media Presence

Since COVID-19 reached the United States, retail has been one of the hardest-hit sectors. Brick and mortar stores with little to no online presence took the brunt of that impact, while smart retailers took to the web; when stores shuttered, online sales skyrocketed. An established e-commerce site made the transition easy for many companies but offering curbside pickup and free local delivery pushed sales even higher.

At Q, our digital strategists work with clients to make recommendations that increase traffic to e-commerce websites and broaden reach. Infinite criteria allow us to perfectly calibrate ads to serve a target audience. If increasing online sales are a goal, digital ads are a key component.

To further drive traffic to their websites, businesses ramped up their online communications. Using email blasts, social media and live streams, online retailers connect directly to their customer base to announce updates, sales, and more. Frequent, quick, and easy updates keep online retailers top-of-mind and generate buzz about their products.

Google ads for ATOK
A Taste of Kentucky’s Google Ads help keep their revenue steady, even while foot traffic is drastically reduced.

Recruitment’s New Normal:

Social Distancing, Video Chats, and IP Targeting

Though retail clients have reallocated dollars toward digital, online marketing is nothing new. Recruitment, on the other hand, has almost always been an in-person venture. From job fairs to interviews, recruitment clients have shifted focus to keep things moving. Video chats like Zoom or Skype have become increasingly popular for first-round interviews, while safely socially distanced in-person conversations work for final-round interviews.

In addition to targeted social media ads, targeted digital ads also help get the word out about job openings. IP-targeted ads function in much the same way as a physical postcard: the ad is served to a specific address, rather than a set of criteria. With the right address list, recruiters can deliver ads directly to qualified candidates, while saving money, time, and paper on physical mailers.


Appalachian Regional Healthcare’s targeted digital ads are eye-catching, especially because they’re served to the right audience.

Manufacturing’s New Normal:

Touch Programs, Direct Mail, Digital Leads

Manufacturing clients are keeping busy with consistent, thoughtful communication during a time when face-to-face visits are out of the question. Robust touch plans with multiple channels help businesses maintain steady contact with existing customers and solicit new business. From unique direct mail campaigns to creative digital communications, manufacturing clients remain top-of-mind without getting repetitive or monotonous.


A creative direct mail campaign ensures that your name is at the forefront of your clients’ minds.

From a marketing and advertising perspective, the “new normal” means changing the way that we communicate with clients and customers to reach them wherever they may be within the rapidly changing landscape of 2020. Need help finding your company’s new normal? Let Q help. Contact Linda Schuster at Linda@QtheAgency.com or Stephanie Rickert at Stephanie@QtheAgency.com.