Marketing Your Way Through Coronavirus
I know.. I used the “C” word.
Coronavirus. Coronavirus. Coronavirus.
We’re all bloody sick of it already, but it could be an issue we have to deal with for some time yet. And so many businesses are struggling already, especially those in travel, events, hospitality and imports and exports. Guys, its hard out there at the moment! With quarantine restrictions, social distancing, travel bans, event cancellations… how is anyone supposed to make a buck these days?
During the GFC, I worked for a marketing agency in London, and we were hit hard… because the knee jerk reaction to tough economic times is to cut expenses. And unfortunately, marketing is often one of those “unnecessary costs”. And we get it - when the money stops coming in the door, it’s really hard to justify any expenses whatsoever.
But, if I learned anything during the GFC, besides how to negotiate a redundancy package, its that the businesses that cut their marketing budgets were the businesses that struggled the most to recover. They may have saved some money in the short term, but in the long term, they landed up losing market share, visibility, and ultimately customers.
So, we’re here to say: DON’T STOP MARKETING!!!
EVER!!!
“Why?” I hear you ask?
Well, read on… in this blog we’re taking the time to explain why you should, and how you can, continue to market your business during these tough times. We’ve given you some tips on how you can stretch your marketing budget and make it work harder and smarter for you. And we talk a lot about keeping your long-term vision in mind to keep you motivated.
So, let’s get into it then shall we?
The Why
Ok - so let’s explain WHY we think it’s so important to keep marketing your business at the moment. And it isn’t just so you can spend your marketing budget with us.
We know so many of you are worried about paying your next rent or mortgage installment, or how you’re going to afford to keep your staff employed. And those are completely legitimate worries. But, they are also short-term. A recession will end. These uncertain times will become more certain again. Your customers will spend money again. It may not feel like it right now, but that’s because you’re in survival mode -you’re in the headspace of worrying about all of the “what ifs”, and it can be really difficult to think of the positive or the long-term when you’re in that headspace.
So before we go any further….
Stop. Take a deep breath. And remind yourself that this isn’t forever.
Yes, you still need to address all of those issues that are worrying you. But give your little brain a break from the worry. Remind yourself that it’s not forever.
What do you want to happen when this is all over? Well, you want customers to start spending their money with you again, don’t you? And you want to get new customers to start buying from you, don’t you?
And that right there is why it’s so important to keep marketing at the moment. Your competitors may pull back activities and cut budgets, but if you hold steady, you’ll be seen by all of those customers that are still looking for you and your products/services. You’ll stay front of mind with your current customers, who will come back to you. And you’ll be seen by new customers who may have previously gone to one of your competitors.
For Example…
Sell holidays? Well, people are going to be dreaming about A holiday after isolation, and the second they’re able to, they’ll be looking to book that next trip. Make sure that while they’re dreaming, they see YOU. Then when they’re ready to book, they’ll come to YOU!
Have an at-home hair salon? Imagine how much your clients will need a hair cut after weeks at home with the kids? Hello grey hair anyone? Make sure you’re front of mind with them - they’re going to need a good cut and colour when all of this is over!
Those are just a few industry examples. And what we’re trying to say is - this will end. And we want your business to still be there when it does. And marketing can and does have a huge part to play in making that happen.
The How
So now that you know why it’s important to keep marketing your business, let’s take a look at HOW you can do this.
We’re by no means suggesting you take out a second mortgage to cover your marketing expenses - but we are suggesting you consider doing the following:
#1. Adjust Your Strategy
Take a look at your business and marketing strategies, and change what needs to be changed. Offer face to face consultations? Adapt to offer them online instead. Had to cancel your events? Can you live stream them instead? Adapt your business offerings to meet the current environment as much as you can, and then adapt your marketing strategy to make sure that people know you’re still here and it’s still business as usual, albeit with a few tweaks.
#2. Review Your Marketing
Conduct an audit of your current marketing, and take a good look at where you’re currently spending your money and whether you’re spending it in the right places.
If you’re doing Google Ads, make sure your ads are all performing well, and cut any that aren’t. Assess if you should still be paying for that spot in the phone book or if that money can be spent better elsewhere. Have a look at your website stats and find out if your website is driving sales and enquiries like it should be.
This is a great way to trim the budget, reinvest money in places that might work better for you, and make sure your marketing is performing well in all areas.
#3. Refresh Your Website
If you are spending money on advertising to get people to your website, you sure as hell want to make sure that when they get there they’re actually taking action - like purchasing or enquiring. If they just leave straight away, its a complete waste of money.
So take some time to review your website, optimise it for SEO, refresh your content and make sure your design is simple and user-friendly.
#4. Target Wisely
If you’re doing any paid advertising on socials or search engines, make sure you’re taking full advantage of the targeting features these platforms offer. Let’s be honest - not everyone is going to love you, buy from you or become your customer. So, don’t waste your hard-earned money trying to convince them that they should. Instead, know who your customer is, what they like and what channels they’re on, and use this to target them directly!
Add Facebook pixels to your website, study your Google Analytics, create a customer avatar. If you have a limited budget, you really can’t expect it to reach everyone. So make sure you’re using it to reach the right people, the people that are most inclined to buy from you.
#5. Take Advantage of Freebies
There are so many free tools and resources you can use for your marketing - so take advantage as much as you can.
From a free Google My Business listing to free tools like Canva, Buffer, Google Analytics, and Wideo. There are free “how-to” guides and short courses you can do. We’ve also got 10 [free] tips for you over on this blog below:
Not all marketing has to cost money!
#6. Focus On Your Brand
If business is quieter, take the time to work ON your business rather than IN it.
Yes, this may not generate revenue right now, but it will pay off in the long run! You could take this time to look into adding new income streams to your business, work on that big project you’ve been putting off, or establish yourself as an authority in your industry by producing more content.
By building your brand, and your brand awareness, you’ll ensure that you have visibility - when they’re ready to spend again, your customers will already know your name and what you offer, and they’ll come directly to you. It will put you miles ahead of your competition who will need to do that step first. And you’ll be able to pick things back up so much quicker than those businesses that pressed PAUSE on their marketing.
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So there you have it - 6 tips to help you continue to market your business during these weird/scary times.
If you can think outside the box, for both your business and your marketing, and adapt quickly, you can come out on top. Adapt your offering and your messaging, review how you reach your customers, and make sure you’re offering them value during these uncertain times, and you will win their loyalty. And when normal life resumes, and they start to spend again, it will be with you!
And of course, if this is all too much and you need advice on where to begin, we are here to help! Book a FREE discovery session with us and we’ll go through all of your current marketing, offer some recommendations and let you know where we can help you. We can offer training so you can DIY, or look after any projects or marketing activities for you.
Just contact us today to book your video call (because, social distancing and all that)!