Wow…
No doubt, things feel uncertain right now. Most of us have been ordered to work from home, laid off, or at a minimum, we are all doing things differently right now!
No matter how long this crisis lasts, one thing is for sure – it’s time to prepare your business for the long haul. With that, we need to work harder, and stronger, during this unprecedented time in history.
So how can your business survive the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak, all while your business and your customers adhere to the mandated shelter in place order?
Keep Calm and Carry On
Try not to panic!
I know, I know, easier said than done. You want to believe that “everything will be OK”, but part of you also is shaking just a little bit with fear. It’s only realistic that there will be negative effects, right? You ask yourself, what does this mean for your business? What does this mean for your clients?
Realistically, you will lose revenue during the next few months, and that’s scary. But what you should always remember is, we will recover! History proves it.
Many businesses (including yours) may be tempted to scale back or remove their marketing budgets completely during this time. But make no mistake; this will set your business up for a long, tough grind to recover. Cutting your marketing is a short term fix that will definitely have a long term downside. Continuing to be visible in your market is important for long term sustainability. And, while your customers may not be spending as much, they are still spending money. Check out this article from Search Engine Land about why you don’t want to reduce your digital marketing right now.
So what can you do?
5 Marketing Steps For a Faster Recovery
Here are 5 things you can do in your marketing activity during the COVID19 crisis:
1. Take care of your existing customers.
Your current clients are your lifeblood right now! Keep in touch with your clients to help them navigate the Coronavirus in their business, whether it be with their marketing communications, blog posts, or other content. Now is the time to extra-engage with them using phone, email, and social media! You want to make sure they know you are thinking and caring about them during this time. Here at GreenCup Digital, we are reviewing our current and past client list and checking in with them to see how we can help keep their messaging going.
2. Build brand awareness for potential clients.
While they may hold back from spending during this time, building up this type of brand equity will prove invaluable when the dust settles. Focus on setting aside some of your budget for marketing techniques that are designed for long-term returns. Now is the time to leverage your testimonials, or perhaps reaching out to experts in your niche to do a guest interview or blog post. This is also a great time to build up your social media presence and email list. The key here is making sure you keep your message relevant and respectful of the current situation.
3. Share how you’re doing your part.
Now is the time to share how you’re providing resources, education, and support to your employees and customers. If appropriate, get involved with non-profit initiatives that are happening in the community. Making a difference while building on this type of trust and loyalty is something you can focus on while business flattens along with the curve for the time being.
4. Do a content audit on your website.
Now is a great time for some spring cleaning! You can accomplish a lot during a slow period. Trust me, you won’t have time for this when things get back on track. This will improve your content performance and pay off in the long term when things are back to the “new” normal.
To start your audit, Search Engine Journal recommends starting a new spreadsheet and list all of your assets, like:
- Webpages
- Emails
- Blog posts
- Presentations
- Videos
- Infographics
- Guest posts or appearances
After you’ve cataloged your assets, review them with a careful eye:
- Which items could you re-purpose for other channels?
- Which pieces got the most social shares? The most backlinks?
- Which ones get the most traffic on-site?
These may all be opportunities for:
- Updating or adding to with fresh content
- Optimizing with new CTAs and keywords
- Fixing old links and adding new links
5. Focus on yourself too.
We know this is a difficult time, personally and professionally. You have a responsibility to your employees and customers, but you also have a responsibility to yourself. You need to be in tip-top shape yourself in order to take care of others. Check out the WHO’s document, “Mental Health Considerations During COVID-19 Outbreak” as a resource.
We’re All In This Together
Putting a positive spin on what’s happening will only serve you well. Focusing on the future is the best thing you can do to set yourself up for a successful recovery, in every negative event, not just this one. If you are looking for some guidance on how to manage your marketing during this time, we offer a free 30-minute consultation over a (virtual) cup of coffee.
