Business owners are facing many challenges during the spread of coronavirus. With the situation developing fast and a lot of unknowns, it can be hard to work out what it all means for your business.
During all this uncertainty, however, it is important to build a marketing strategy for the future, and to look forward to when the virus is under control and life can get back to normal. Promoting your business now will help you when things pick up again – whereas abandoning marketing could mean you risk being overtaken by competitors.
Digital is Key
Online marketing is set to prove more vital than ever during a period when many people are spending a lot of time at home, due to social distancing and the closure of many venues and offices. More people than ever will be searching the internet over the coming months and weeks, so there are opportunities to get your message across to them.
Here at iMarketing, we are experts in online communication, and can help you to reach out to your suppliers and customers. Here we will look at some of the areas where small and medium businesses can strengthen their marketing, and their relationships with stakeholders, over this period.
Improve Your Website and SEO
Even if Covid-19 means a quiet period for your business, this can be a good time to review and improve your website, ensuring it is well-positioned once the market recovers. Some sectors, such as holiday companies focusing on overseas, will unfortunately lose business during this period. But they can still use this time to strengthen their website, to be in peak condition when the travel economy starts up again.
As always, SEO (search engine optimisation) is vital and should continue. It costs a lot more to fix rankings that have gone down than to maintain existing rankings. We can help to strengthen your SEO strategy and advise you on the best optimisation of your website.
Review Your Marketing Strategy
Your normal marketing strategy may need a rethink during this period. Obviously, this will vary depending on your particular business and sector. Different tools to consider could include Google AdWords, email campaigns and offers, and a schedule of posts and ads on Facebook and social media. This is not blanket advice for all – we will discuss your particular situation with you and look at what is likely to work best.
Email Campaigns
Sending occasional emails to clients will help to remind them that you are there, and encourage them to keep faith with you. You can explain the precautions you are taking, such as stringent hygiene procedures for a food business, or wearing protective clothing and face masks on a building site. All this could help to reassure customers and give them the confidence to place orders – if not now, then in the future.
However, not all emails need to be about response to the disease. You can also look to the future, discussing plans for your business and helping to remind your customers that this period will pass.
Blogs and Social Media
Everyone is looking for reassurance at the moment, and blogs and social media posts can help to provide that to your customers and suppliers. Again, some posts could focus specifically on coronavirus, reassuring your clients that you are responding fully to the current situation and taking all necessary precautions.
As with email newsletters, though not all posts need to be about coronavirus. Dwelling on this subject all the time can lead to anxiety, so it’s good to talk about a range of topics and include some more light-hearted posts too.
Consult iMarketing
At iMarketing, we are highly experienced in drawing up effective marketing strategy, and can advise you on the best way forward. We are currently offering a free 30-minute online or telephone meeting to help both existing clients and anyone else who would like advice at this time. We can help companies write policies if required, and we can also help you create blog posts, email and social media campaigns. We are based in Ipswich, and work with companies across the UK and abroad. Contact us here or call us on 01473 598899.
