The ongoing pandemic is having some devastating impacts on small businesses. It’s unforeseen and caught the business world unprepared.
Across the US, millions of small and medium-sized businesses have shuttered their doors and laid off employees, with many being concerned that they will never reopen.
If you want your business to stay afloat during this strange new normal, then you will need to learn how to adapt.
The main aim of everyone is to stay safe while trying to survive CoronaVirus pandemic. However, COVID-19 and the restrictions it has imposed on how we live our lives is having some game-changing effects on businesses.
For business owners, new ways of marketing are needed to reach existing and prospective customers. If you’re looking for current marketing advice to help your business through COVID-19, read these essential tips to get started.
#1]]. Empathize with your customers
The most immediate change you should be making to your marketing strategy concerns your tone. Even if you would rather avoid mentioning the pandemic as much as possible, there is no denying that the times we live in have shaped how we think and feel.
Tone-deaf messaging will not play well. Avoid using marketing materials that feature large crowds for instance, and adjust to a softer tone if needed.
#2]]. Do not exploit the situation
Any business that is running current marketing campaigns in the midst of a pandemic should know better than to try and exploit the situation.
You may think that you can squeeze some revenue out of the fears of your customers, but the truth is that such a dubious strategy will most likely backfire.
Avoid marketing your product as something that people “need” because of the coronavirus. If you exploit the situation, your customers will remember how you behaved once this is all over.
#3]]. Improve your SEO
One of the biggest impacts of the pandemic is the fact that people are spending a much greater amount of their time online. This means that you need to be diverting all of your marketing resources and spend toward your web presence.
Most important of these is SEO, which will ensure that your business features prominently on Google. To learn more, check out the current marketing articles that address SEO for small businesses, such as this guide on evergreen topics and strategies that will keep your ranking high.
#4]]. Adjust your messaging
While you should not exploit the pandemic, you absolutely should use creative marketing tips that will register with people in these times.
Highlight the value of your brand and explain how it can help people. Perhaps you offer something that can provide customers with comfort and stress relief in these difficult times?
Perhaps you offer a service that will make people’s lives easier in the time of social distancing. Identify the potential of your brand in the current situation and market it to your customers.
#5]]. Plan for the future
Finally, it is important that you never lose sight of the future. The business might be slow at the moment, meaning that now is the perfect time to gather stock and figure out how you can get things roaring back to life in the post-pandemic future.
You could plan how to use your resources more efficiently, or consider how your business can offer something in the new business landscape. Take a breather and see what you come up with, as you will never have this kind of spare time again.
Learn more about how to adapt to COVID-19
Learning how to adapt your business to these exceptional times is the difference between success and failure. Make sure to consult our extensive Entrepreneur guides for more information on adapting to COVID-19.
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