This is a difficult time to be a business owner. There’s so much uncertainty, and your team is looking to you for direction although you’re not sure yourself where to turn. There are a lot of things to figure out, including how your marketing will need to shift during this time. Here are our top five tips for adapting your marketing during COVID-19.
Look Beyond Your Doorstep
Even if you do most of your business in-person and primarily serve the local community, successful marketing during COVID-19 means thinking bigger than that. Are there products and services you can sell online, even if it’s just through social media posts? If your state or municipality permits it, could you setup curbside pickup or even switch to delivery? Maybe all you can do is ask your loyal customers to support you with gift card sales during this time – that works, too! There are a variety of creative methods available to keep marketing during COVID-19.
Give Back to Your Community
Everyone is hurting right now, and it’s difficult to see past your own struggles and worries to those of someone else. If you’re barely keeping the lights on or making payroll at your business right now, how are you supposed to help others in your community? In many cases, the answer again comes back to finding creative ways to deliver your services where it is safe and legal to do so. You’d probably be surprised to know how many of your customers are missing your unique product! Where it’s impossible to stay open in any capacity, look for ways to keep your business active in the community. Whether it’s making masks, setting up a donation/take-what-you-need table in your parking lot, or offering discounts to medical personnel and other essential employees when you reopen, look for creative ways to give back. We’re all in this together.
Shift Your Focus to Education
It might feel wrong to sell, sell, sell with the same aggressive tactics that have worked in the past (and it is), but there are still ways you can get your message out during COVID-19. Now is the time to educate potential and existing customers about your business and how you can help them persevere in these uncertain times. Marketing during COVID-19 is all about building relationships and making sure customers feel as safe as they can given the circumstances. If your business is in any way able to help them navigate COVID-19, now is the time to let them know.
Offer Other Ways to Pay
In-person payments are out of the question for most businesses right now, so it’s time to explore other options. Consider setting up a simple invoicing system to let customers pay from afar. Text and email-based payment methods are also great to use. Also consider that many of your customers won’t be able to afford your services as easily as they used to. If you’re able, offer payment plans so they can still make purchases even if they don’t have all the necessary funds today.
Look for Cheap Ad Opportunities
Every industry is struggling these days, including advertising. Now is the time to look for deals on the marketing initiatives that were out of your budget a few months ago. Agencies and media outlets will be likely to cut a deal to sell vacant ad space, so you could end up spending a little and getting a whole lot.
Keep On Keeping On
There’s no marketing tip that’s going to completely take away the pain and stress COVID-19 has inflicted on our economy. We’re right there with you – we’ve shifted to working from home, adjusted policies, and tried to support our employees as best we can. We’ve also been supporting business owners the best way we know how – as a credit card processor that cares about their needs and wants to help them succeed. If you’re looking for a processor to help you navigate this pandemic, give us a call at 1-855-360-0360 or drop us a line on our website. We’re here for you.
PS – Struggling with working from home? These tips may help.
PPS – Fraud can be a concern with remote payments. Check out our tips.