Now is not the time to go silent. Online engagement is surging with social distancing in place. More people are spending more time on social media and accessing web-based resources than ever before. There’s a great opportunity to reach your audience and provide them with information, interaction, positive thoughts, and relevant resources.
Communicate any hours, service, safety protocols, or operation updates that have been made via:
- Your website
- Email lists
- Social media accounts
- Post updates to your Google My Business
- Online directories such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, Angie’s List, etc.
Many small businesses are making the mistake of cutting their marketing budget to the bone or eliminating it entirely. This is good news for you, the savvy marketer, as your marketing dollars will go MUCH further as ad rates decline. Lean times are exactly when a business needs marketing. People are spending much more time on social media now, small business owners are redirecting marketing budgets to social media & search from standard marketing expenses like their:
- Trade shows
- Travel
- Conferences
- Reduced office space rent
- Reduced work force (although hopefully we can all avoid this one)
- Radio (less travel time in the cars so fewer listeners)
Happy clients act as ambassadors for your business and share their experience with other potential cus- tomers. Right now, you need advocates to support local businesses. Your customers have a lot of time right now to help your business.
- Ask for reviews & testimonials
- Share company updates on social
- Have a loyalty program? Double it and offer rewards. No? Perhaps this is the time to start one.
- Pre-sell gift cards? Create incentives to buy now with additional perks (ie. buy a $50 card get a free $10 card).
- Call clients where applicable and ask what you can do to assist their businesses – there may be some non-traditional ways that you can continue to serve them.
- Create virtual consults or offers