In the past few weeks, COVID-19 has forced all of us to second guess just about everything. Some of our usual business practices now seem unimportant at best and offensive at worst, and we’re all scrambling to figure out the new status quo. From video conference meetings to remote-only work policies, the face of business sure looks a lot different than it did in February.
Many business owners are tempted to lay low during this time. Part of that is because they just don’t know what to do, and part of it is because they’re afraid to spend any money until all this is over. While both of those lines of thinking are certainly understandable, the truth is that it’s more important now than ever to stay in front of your audience and show people that you’re an expert in your field.
Let’s take a look at three reasons your business needs to keep putting itself out there during the coronavirus pandemic rather than hit the pause button and go into hiding.
#1: Your Competition Might Pause Their Communication — Giving You More Exposure.
During a crisis, your competition may stop some or all of their marketing efforts, thinking that they’ll pick it back up once the world is on solid footing again. That means you may be competing with fewer voices online, which amplifies your voice without you having to do anything extra.
If you go the advertising route, the CPC (cost per click) will be lower than normal, which means you can either get more leads or see a lower CPA (cost per acquisition) than you’re used to seeing. Essentially, you could get a lot more bang for your buck, and that’s always a good thing.
#2: If Your Business Serves People, Your Clients Need You Now More Than Ever.
COVID-19 hasn’t stopped life entirely, despite what you may read in the news. People still have the same problems they had before, and they still need someone to help them. If you work in law, health care, pharmaceuticals, IT, delivery services, or anything else that helps people by meeting a need, you should keep putting yourself out there as much as possible.
If you’re interested in advertising, you may want to consider using a Google PPC (pay-per-click) campaign to get your message out to the people who are looking for your services. Be sure your ads clearly explain what you do and how you can help. You may not see a huge increase in website traffic, but people still need you, and PPC is a fast, effective way to reach them.
#3: If You Can Work Remotely, You Can Still Bring In Business.
If your business is the type of thing that can be done from home, then you may not need to slow down at all — you might just need to change tactics. For example, if you practice law but your office is currently closed, you can still take cases from your home. There are multiple tools out there that allow you to have meetings, sign documents, and share files over the internet.
But in order for people to know you’re still open to new cases, you’d have to communicate that message to them. Whether you’re sending an email blast, updating your blog, pushing out information on social media, or launching an entire ad campaign, the bottom line is to communicate clearly and effectively about how you’re continuing to serve your clients.
Struggling to Keep Your Brand Visible During COVID-19? Uptick Can Help.
Staying in front of your audience right now could benefit your business in significant ways — and maybe even help you come out on the other side better than you thought possible. Now is the time to get creative, start coming up with new ways to reach your target market, and start innovating. Most great innovations are born from adversity, and this crisis is no different. Make choices now about your business strategy that will pay off big in the long run, and keep communicating with your audience regularly.
If you’re interested in hearing more about how to do this well, send us a message and we’ll talk you through it.
In the meantime: Stay strong, keep calm, and always wash your hands.