To help you navigate your business through the chaos of the Coronavirus, we thought it’d be helpful to suggest some ways that you could adapt & refine your digital marketing strategy; so that you can approach the challenge head-on & focus on building your online communities more than ever.
Something that many (if not all) businesses will need to consider doing. As most of us face the prospect of cancelling organised gatherings, events, and workshops. As well as closing down physical shops on the highstreet for the foreseeable future.
So let’s get to it, and start developing a new plan of action!
Introducing honesty
The basics
One of the most important things we can do at this time is to be as honest & open with our online communities as possible.
This will involve telling them essential information, such as: how you’re adapting your services or method of product delivery, the implications of COVID-19 on delivery times, or if you’re having to halt services altogether for now.
This basic level of information is vital in preventing any frustration that your customers might feel if they try to book a service, or buy from you.
Action #1: So, if you haven’t already, then be sure to create a post for each of your social media channels that explains how your business is adapting to the current situation.
Additional content
Further to this form of honest content, you could also think about creating content that speaks about your own experience of COVID-19 so far, and how it’s affected you and your business.
For some, this might feel a step too far for a business. But it’s important to remember that, at a time like this, community spirit shines through more than ever.
So confiding in your online audience is likely to encourage them to support you through this difficult time. It also shows that you’re willing to get involved in important & relevant conversations that many of your community might also be facing themselves.
Action #2: Start to think of ways that you can be more transparent with your online community. An easy way to kick this off is to ‘introduce’ them to your home office set-up.
Focussing on your community
Focussing on your community is going to provide you value to both your community and your business by asking a simple question; “what kind of content do you want to see?”
Ask your audience what they want to see to ensure you’re creating and pushing out content that’s relevant to them. This will make sure you’re reaching your audience with social media content they want and are interested in.
Asking for this feedback creates value by:
- Showing you care about your audience
- Enhance your brand loyalty
- Boost advocacy
- Create valuable interaction and engagement within your community
Action #3: Ask your community what type of content they want to see from your brand. You could ask this within your branded groups, Facebook pages, Twitter polls, Instagram story quiz/polls.
Utilising video content
It’s been something we’ve encouraged you to introduce to your marketing strategy for a while now, but video content is especially useful right now.
That’s because you’re not actually able to see your customers! So bring them into your world by creating video content as a means of demonstrating products, giving them valuable ‘How To’ content, or simply having a chat with your online audience.
If any of you have been keeping an eye on platforms such as Instagram lately, then you’ll be aware that musicians are holding Live concerts, personal trainers are doing Live workouts, and gardeners are showing you how to spruce up your outdoor space.
So start thinking about how you can incorporate this form of media into your marketing strategy and connect with your audience face-to-face.
Action #4: Plan a selection of videos for any of the social media platforms you might be on. This could involve a mini-series, or a selection of ‘How To’ videos.
Reinventing the ‘Sale’ as a form of giving
For those who have been fortunate enough to move their services into a virtual space, or for those businesses who are selling goods, you’re still trying to sell – right?
Hopefully, you are. Because even though it might feel like you should be helping as much as you can, and giving things away for free at a time like this. It’s important to remember that you also need to be making money.
What’s more important, is to consider how you deliver that marketing message in a way that shows you’re being sensitive to the current climate.
Action #5: Create relevant call-to-actions that are sensitive to the current climate. Look to bolster your client relationships and remember you are a business and you need money to keep your business.
