Protecting Your Business During the Coronavirus Pandemic

The coronavirus is sweeping through the nation, and as a result, economic output could drop by as much as $1.5 trillion and cost American workers an estimated five million jobs, according to The Wall Street Journal. The pandemic has created an economic standstill, which means many marketers have to adapt to the changing conditions.

Acquiring customers could be challenging right now. Many companies are getting creative in their outreach to current customers, working to retain relationships they have built. 

Now is a good time to focus on communicating with the customers you have in more meaningful ways as well as clean up some of your internal processes to continue being strategic.

Tell consumers how your company is helping.

During these uncertain times, consumers want to feel reassured. Tell them what measures you’re taking to help them and the community. Offer a free service, give consumers a break on their upcoming payments, highlight charitable donations, or simply send a message that tells consumers, “We’re all in this together.”

Engage with regularity.

You can still connect with consumers regularly, but should adjust your messaging.. Share blog posts, send newsletters, and create positive stories to engage with audiences. Remind them of the products and services you still have available and how they can be helpful during this time. While some may not be in a position to purchase now, they will remember your approach when they are, translating to sales at a later time. 

Engage on social media.

As people’s daily routines are changing, so is their social media use. Many are increasing their time on social media to connect with family and friends, find creative projects for kids, or look for new recipes from food bloggers. Use social media to connect in creative ways. Consider posting daily challenges, showcasing videos of positive customer experiences, or creating ways to promote helping in their community to provide an uplifting activity for consumer participation.

Focus on administrative chores

Marketers usually have a list of things they’d like to accomplish, but they’re often strapped for time. Take this opportunity to get back to basics with your marketing strategy. Use this time to update your resources and focus your efforts on keeping your materials current. These might include:

Improve your SEO

SEO performance is a marathon, not a sprint. Start optimizing content for SEO. Run an SEO audit, review your strategies and keywords, and make changes to existing content to improve your ranking. 

Update marketing materials

Which marketing assets need an overhaul? Take time to go through marketing collateral — everything from brochures to eBooks — and see what needs updating. Consider checking with the sales department and partner with them to revamp existing materials or create new ones.

Create new videos

Now might be a great time to create videos with materials you have available. Consider shooting footage of new products or a how-to tutorial, or have the CEO tell the company story. These can be low budget but have high impact and you don’t need a crew to create good content. People like authenticity and this can be an opportunity to really connect with audiences in a new way. 

Organize Files

Most marketing departments have cloud-based storage, which is usually a bit disorganized. Take some time to tidy up your filing system. Create folders, categorize campaigns, and archive old materials. This can also help you find materials that can be updated and repurposed now and in the future.

The coronavirus has created an environment and an economy that’s new to everyone, but there are still strategic marketing efforts to be made. Focus on engaging with your existing customers, and use this time to plan ahead for the days when the economy is moving once again.