Marketing During a Crisis: How to Help Your Business Thrive Through Adversity
March 30, 2020 In Marketing Leave a comment
March 30, 2020 In Marketing Leave a comment
The unforeseen impact of the novel coronavirus ravaging the country is wreaking havoc on businesses everywhere. Few have been spared the aftermath. And with the mandated closure of countless businesses and the switch to a “work from home” model for the rest, times are uncertain, to say the least, which has only added onto the stress caused by this catastrophic event.
Just like your business should have a game plan in the event of a natural disaster, so should you have a game plan for now. Contrary to popular belief, now is not the time to abandon your marketing efforts. With time, the novel coronavirus will reach its peak and then taper off, leaving an entire society to scramble for recovery in its wake. Your goal throughout all of this should be to maintain the trust of your customers. Heed these marketing tips and your business may be one of the special few able to flourish during times of trouble.
It’s tempting to put some distance between your business and the troubles of the world, but now is not the time to be silent. Now, more than ever, your customers need to know how you plan to keep going in the face of adversity.
While it’s a good idea to approach your marketing messaging with extreme caution (these are sensitive times, after all), to ignore the surrounding chaos is ill-advised. There are a variety of ways to reach out to your customers, but the most popular method is by far the e-mail blast. Through email, you can let your customers know how the coronavirus has affected your business operations, your sanitation procedures, and how you plan to keep serving them with the same great customer service you’ve always offered.
During times of crisis, humans crave normalcy. Uncertainty abounds, and an email is just one small way to let them know you still care.
By now, many businesses have abandoned their paid media strategies, and it’s a shame. While this is most likely done out of a need to cut costs, it’s imperative, if you can afford it, that you keep utilizing digital ads to bring awareness to your business and services. People are, understandably, spending an increasing amount of time online these days, meaning that paid ads are likely to catch their attention perhaps even more effectively than before.
If your business has encountered a cash flow problem, which very well may be the case, then, by all means, feel free to scale down your ad budget, but don’t cut it completely. If you do, you risk losing the traction your campaigns have already built. Instead, adjust your ads to address the current needs of your customer, whether that be words of support or even a special deal.
During the era of COVID-19, social media is the indisputable king. But this doesn’t mean that everything else is irrelevant. Your website, for instance, may be your calling card during times like these. If you’ve made notable changes to your business in the wake of COVID-19, be sure to put it front and center on your website so your customers can easily access the information they need, when they need it.
Convenience is key during times like these, and businesses that make things easier for their customers are the ones that will thrive amid chaos. This entails smooth lines of communication. If your site doesn’t currently have two-way chat and messaging capabilities, now may be the time to explore it. And if this isn’t possible, you can look to other avenues, like Facebook Messenger. Making yourself available on Messenger to answer questions and concerns is just one more way to support your customers during these difficult times.
We as a society have entered unchartered waters, and we are all just doing our best to stay afloat. Keeping your bond with your customers strong will help you navigate COVID-19 with purpose.