I’ve been speaking to lots of customers and friends who run businesses and there’s a lot of people who are unsure how to cope with keeping their organisation going at the moment.
So, the point of this post is to give some thoughts on how you can help your business, employees and your customers come through all this turmoil from a marketing point of view.
Firstly, when you’re making decisions, remember that this current situation won’t be here forever. The coronavirus outbreak is terrible, but it will pass, and there will soon be a vaccine to combat it meaning life can return to some kind of normality.
People are isolating now and are working from home where possible, but they still need services, products and help. It’s fair to say though, that the world is in shock and shocked people don’t need to buy fancy perfume or a new car (where would you wear/drive it anyway).
But this shock won’t last forever. The human race is generally a very optimistic thing and they’re always looking to the future.
I doubt very much that our future will be exactly the same as it was before all this, but that change will bring opportunity.
Those opportunities are already coming to light as people use online meetings, play remote games, and purchase online rather than in stores. Yes, the situation is bad, but life always returns. It finds the cracks and begins sprouting again.
So, what can you and your business do?
Be kind
The first thing is to be kind and help people where you can. That may mean giving more support than normal by either using your skills to offer a service you don’t normally offer or giving a testimonial for a client or colleague. One thing is for sure, kindness and understanding will be remembered when the dust settles. Remember, those profiteering companies who take advantage of the situation or treat their employees badly, will be the ones who struggle after this finishes. People have long memories.
Be patient
When the shit hits the fan, it’s easy to panic and make rash decisions. Take a little time to think through your actions. Is there something in the pipeline that may help? If you can afford patience, then use it.
Stay top of mind
No one knows how long all this will last, but one thing is guaranteed; those companies who stay visible, having an adapted marketing strategy, will be the ones customers look to when business returns. Staying visible and available are crucial. For this reason, you have to keep your marketing moving.
Go with the flow and adapt your plans
You will have to pivot and change your plans. That Easter Sale is probably out of the window now, but that can be a great opportunity too. People like to see a business that can think on its feet and adapt, so don’t be afraid of embracing it.
In my next post I’m going to talk about actions you can take right now to ensure your businesses marketing is in a good shape when things return to some form of normality.
