The ongoing global pandemic has drastically affected businesses from various sectors. Some companies in the country have experienced a massive drop in revenue and customer activity. Others have shut down permanently. A report from ABC News revealed that almost 16,000 restaurants have closed due to the health crisis.
If you’re promoting your business during these times of uncertainty, you’ll need to take a good look at how you’re currently communicating with your customers. Here are some general guidelines to market your company during this unusual situation:
- Find Out What Your Customers Need Now
What your customers need before the pandemic is different from what they need in these difficult times. You need a solid grasp of what your prospective customers are thinking now. Obtain their feedback by asking the following:
- What kind of information, product, or service do you need from our business?
- What are your concerns during this pandemic?
- How can we help you during this time of difficulty?
When gathering feedback from customers, you can create a short survey, email it, and ask your respondents to answer the questionnaire. You could offer incentives, such as discounts, to encourage them to complete the survey honestly.
Alternatively, you could get the thoughts of your top or loyal customers by giving them a call. If you’re planning to speak with them over the phone, you should:
- Obtain information about their needs and situation
- Empathize with your customers and let them know that your business is available to help wherever possible
- Provide reassurance that the pandemic won’t dramatically undermine your business’s product or service quality
- Assess Your Brand Messaging
Customers want to hear from you. When they do, they want the tone of your message to reflect what’s happening today.
The days of using one-size-fits-all messaging to target your ideal market are long gone. Now, you should talk to your audience in a manner that acknowledges their priorities and concerns.
Some are worried about the economic recession caused by the pandemic. Others are concerned about what companies are doing to protect their customers from the coronavirus. Determine the issues that matter a lot to customers and adjust your messaging accordingly. Reach out to an ad agency if you’re unsure exactly how to formulate your brand message properly.
- Maintain or Increase Your Marketing Budget
Although decreasing your marketing budget may be tempting, you should avoid taking this route. Now is the time to be doubling down on your marketing efforts.
During these challenging times, you may find ad rates dropping because of businesses attempting to reduce their expenditures. If you find the rates to be lower than usual, take advantage of this opportunity. That means that your marketing dollars will go a lot further than they would have gone during the pre-pandemic. It also means that your business could gain a bigger market share. While your competitors are silent, you’re making the voice of your brand heard.
If money is tight at the moment, don’t fret. Consider less expensive options, such as social media and email marketing. Using your smartphone to shoot an update video and composing a heartfelt email message to your customers are simple but effective ways to promote your business.
- Bump Up Your Digital Marketing Efforts
Stay-at-home orders and advice from health experts will compel your customers to stay at home and order online. If this is the case, your business needs to be online, as well. Consider investing more funds in search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click advertising (PPC). When you boost your online visibility, more customers can find your brand and do business with you.
- Assess Your Automated Marketing Activities
You’ll need to update the automated marketing messages you’re sending to your customers. That includes ad campaigns, emails, and other initiatives. Keeping these automated messages running without making any adjustments could make your company appear insensitive. Instead of being in tune with what’s happening, your brand will look like it’s only focused on profits.
So, take the time to tweak your messages before resuming your automation schedules.
- Create Meaningful Content for Your Customers
Some businesses in your industry may reduce or eliminate writing content for their brand. That is another opportunity for you to get a leg up the competition.
During the pandemic, come up with content that’s highly valuable to your customers. An example is creating frequently asked questions (FAQs) that address the key concerns your customers may have about the pandemic and your business.
You need to keep marketing your company regardless of the national climate. When you promote your business, your ads should be sensitive to the current events and address the needs of your target market.
Meta title: How to Efficiently Market Your Business During the Pandemic
Meta description: Promoting a business during these times of uncertainty is necessary to stay afloat. Discover how you can market your company correctly to your customers.
