Don't Quarantine Your Marketing: Ways Small Business Can Thrive

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted millions of people around the world. Businesses have been forced to adjust to remote workforces and a rapid shift in customer priorities. Many companies have taken appropriately cautious measures to reduce spending and improve their chances of weathering the storm. Still, some companies have made the mistake of halting or severely limiting their marketing. There is no denying the business world has been altered due to COVID-19 as customer spending patterns have massively deviated from the norm, but these changes are a reason to change your marketing strategies, not eliminate marketing efforts entirely. By altering your typical marketing focuses, your business can maintain momentum, relevance, and revenue streams even while much of the world is in quarantine.

Communication is Key

Whether you are a small business or a large company, going radio silent during turbulent times is never a good way to reassure and retain customers. When so much in the world is uncertain, communicating your company's current status and plan for the future is the bare minimum you can do for your customers and your bottom line. There are a plethora of communication avenues through which a company can easily communicate with its customers, so there is no excuse not to keep your audience informed.

Tell your customers how your business will operate in the new world state, how your business is working with shipping companies like UPS to fill and ship orders accurately, what steps you are taking to keep your employees safe and any other information you would want a company to share with you as a customer. Use email marketing leads, social media, and your company website to broadcast essential information and ensure customers, new or returning, understand how your company has changed. Many people will assume businesses have shuttered for the time being, but informing customers that you are still open for business will correct that assumption and bring in business.

Delivery, Tone, Awareness, and Repetition

While you are communicating with your customers, it is crucial that you carefully craft your marketing messages. Understand your business’s place in your customer’s life and do not overstep during such trying times. Lead with compassion, empathy, and understanding instead of pushing profits to the forefront. You do still want to market to customers and encourage them to buy your products, but keep your message sensitive and positive.

Instead of reminding customers of the current dire situation, shine a positive light while connecting your products to a relevant need. Try to avoid echoing other company’s responses as customers do not want to see the same “We stand together” message repeated by every brand. Customers only need to read about tips to endure the pandemic so many times; take the opportunity to send a different message to your customers. Broadcasting a unique, encouraging, positive, and relevant message will bring in much more business than repeating the same points every other company is spewing. If you feel compelled to talk about general pandemic information, present the information in a way that is brand appropriate so you can further your brand identity while informing your customers.

Shift Product Focus to Maintain Relevance and Presence

Customers are shopping for different things than they were a few months ago. Customer priorities and stock levels have shifted in response to the pandemic. Some businesses will give up since people aren’t buying the products they used to, but instead of closing shop, change focus. If customers are less interested in your regular products, highlight lesser-known products that may be more relevant. Your fashion face masks have likely never experienced this level of demand, but if customers don’t know you sell face masks, they won’t buy them. Highlight products or services that are relevant to the current situation to keep your business in your customer’s minds and bring in sales.

Contests Raise Brand Engagement

The Getty Museum Challenge and similar contests have taken over social media during the quarantine. While these contests are fun for consumers, they are also a perfect example of subtle and entertaining, but effective marketing. These contests and challenges get people to interact with brands while providing some jovial distraction from current events. Challenge your customers to create an outfit, art project, or craft with things they have at home that connects to your brand. Other companies have embraced branded mini-games, which are perfect for entertaining customers who are bored at home while still marketing to them.

Customers and businesses alike are struggling to adapt to the current world state. Resist the urge to withdraw your marketing and adjust your strategies to fit the new situation. Respectfully communicate with your customers, highlight new relevant products, and create a branded challenge to raise customer engagement. By adapting your marketing strategies, your business can prosper even during the quarantine.