How to successfully market your business at this difficult time

It’s interesting how things can change so quickly. Just a couple of weeks ago, I was planning events, mapping out launches and finalising details for my very own mindset and marketing retreat. Yet that has all turned on its head! As the running of even more events seems unlikely, there’s never been a better time to show up online.

I’m going to analyse a few different marketing ideas and things you can continue to do as everyone hunkers down, isolates, and, you guessed it, goes online!

Social media. How we use social media might have to change in the short term. I’ve spoken to so many business owners who are wondering how they can sell at this time and my advice would be, not to. Keep showing up. Keep giving people a little insight into the behind the scenes of your business. Keep letting them know what inspires/motives/lifts you up. Give value (if you are a service based business, I would suggest the majority of your content be value. How can your knowledge or expertise help your audience? Value is the best way to get them to know, like and trust you.) Be consistent. Share positivity, motivation, inspiring things. Make social media (or at least your account) be the place we wish it was.
Website. Does your website need a health check? Does it need updating? Have you checked that links are working, that text is up to date and current, that your products or services are well represented? With events being cancelled, people will be spending more time online. Even if spending drops, time spent browsing (and adding things to wish lists for the time when everything goes back to normal) will certainly increase so make your online presence is as professional as you’d make your stand or your shop face.
Email marketing. Now I love social media, I really do. But it should never be relied on entirely as a means of marketing. Picture this – you’ve been working away for years on your social. You’ve got a lovely loyal following, then the social platform goes bust. You never know what might hit in a recession, so start getting those contacts onto an email database because that is YOURS. Again, think about how you can educate, inspire and motivate those on that list and keep being consistent with them (I would say email marketing newsletters should be sent twice per month.)
Video. Video is the BEST way to let your audience know, like and trust you. But also, to relate to you. For those of you on Instagram, try using Instagram stories to kickstart your video journey. You can add text, filters, GIFs, you can re-record if you don’t like it AND it’s only there for 24hours. BINGO! If you aren’t on Instagram, try pre-recording a short intro on your phone that you can upload to your website and social platforms. Think about an intro – who you are, what you do, why you do it and what people can expect from you this year. I bet if we were sat having a wine together, you’d be able to tell me those things! So just have a go and record it. I would suggest writing 3-5 things that you want to cover on a piece of paper, and pop it behind your camera. This helps with the focus if your attention slips briefly. Pop some lippy on and away you go!

Collaboration. Have a think about who is in your network that you can collaborate with. How can you lift up, inspire and support each other? How can you do joint videos, share content, help each others audiences? I’m friends with some amazing fellow rural PRs and we’re doing exactly that next week to give ultimate value to ALL of our audiences with our own zones of genius. Is there someone you could write a guest blog for? Interview for a blog or podcast? A joint social media post or Q & A you can do together? Collaboration over competition is so important at a time like this.

Please see this time as an opportunity. An opportunity to critically analyse all that’s going on in your business.

Analyse your current efforts on social media and your website. Analyse your current marketing and the extent to which it is integrated (or not, as the case may be.) Please know this will pass – keep showing up, keep engaging with your followers (you never know who relies on seeing your content every day) and keep focusing on all of the positives. https://www.tarapunterpr.co.uk/blog/10-ways-to-safeguard-your-biz-if-events-get-cancelled-due-to-covid-19/

Some bonus content ideas for you!

Why did you start your business?
What do you love most about your business?
Where do you hope your business takes you?
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?
What is one of your lifes crunch points? A point that it all just clicked/changed/took shape?
What do you love most about your industry?
Was your route to business a traditional one?
Has this business/industry always been a passion?
Do pets play a part in your life?
What would you tell yourself 10 years ago if you could?
What’s your WHY?
What is your word of choice to drive on each day with power and positivity?
Who inspires you and why?

Enjoy – happy content creating!