Lately, I’ve been asked by several small business owners how they should adjust their marketing during this time of crisis. I put some thoughts together and here they are.
1. Identify your client’s problem or pain point right now
What is currently keeping your clients up at night? What’s causing them anxiety? Most likely it’s not the same things from two months ago. For most business owners the pain points now are about saving money, making money and working remotely.
The question is…how can you be the solution to their pain?
2. Change Your Messaging – Tell People How You Can Help Them
This is especially true if you’ve changed your business model to meet the current situation. For example, if you are closed or have changed from doing in-person meetings to video chat.
But for many of you, you won’t need to change your model at all, it’s just a shift in your messaging.
What can say right now, under the current circumstances that will resonate with the right people.
3. For Service Based Business Share Your Message with empathy & authority
This is not the time for hard selling or scare tactics. Instead, show that you understand what your clients are going through. Be empathetic and show that your expertise can help them get through this difficult time.
4. Keep Communicating with Your Clients
Now is not the time to pull back.
If you go away for a while your clients may forget about you. Keep talking to them via social media, email marketing, video and blogs so that you remain top of mind. Warning: If you aren’t talking to them your competitors might be!
Companies that keeping communicating with clients will ramp up much faster than companies who go dark right now.
5. Share Your Knowledge
One of the best ways to stay in front of your clients is to share your knowledge.
This goes back to positioning yourself as an authority or an expert. If we can genuinely help people get through this difficult time, then we should do it.
People are desperately looking for help so provide them with emails, videos and social media. Free stuff.
Share what you can to help people save their businesses. In the end, it may benefit you too because if people are liking and sharing your content it may grow your tribe!
FOR MORE INFO….
I recently did a webinar on this topic for BNI Western PA. If you’d like to hear me share more on my 5 Step Plan to Marketing Through Crisis click here https://tinyurl.com/yb4x5v82
About the author: Meg Huwar is a small business marketing expert and Principal of Brand Accelerator. She and her team work with companies who want to market their business but don’t have the time, expertise or staff to do it themselves. Meg can be reached at mhuwar@thebrandaccelerator.com or 412-848-8822.