Month: April 2020

Marketing during Covid-19: Social Media and Content Marketing More Important than Ever

Many small businesses, from lawyers to hair salons, thought of online marketing as a necessary evil or a distraction if they thought of social media as marketing at all. Now, during Covid-19, social media, email and website marketing may be the only way businesses can stay in touch with customers. And staying in touch is critical during social distancing.

If social media and online marketing for business are new concepts to you, there are plenty of resources available to help you make the most of your online presence. From setting up your business’s Facebook page to creating content to share, I’ll be providing advice and resources on how to transition your business to an online presence, keep in touch with your customers, and navigate the sensitivities around developing content during a crisis. 

Marketing Checklist during Social Distancing

Here’s my checklist to steps you should take immediately:

Update Your Contact Information & Hours

If you have a website or Facebook business page (you should), update your office hours and contact information to let people know how to reach you. People can’t afford to waste time driving to your location only to find out you’ve adjusted your hours or are closed. Keep in mind that just because your business’s physical doors may be closed, there are still many ways to help your customers. Update your online information now.

Update Your Contact and Email Lists

Ask customers for their updated email addresses and contact information so you can keep them informed. You can set a form up on your website to collect their information or even ask them to direct message you on social media with their current contact information. Your website creator or hosting platform likely already has contact form templates to choose from, and it should only take a few minutes to build a form from scratch. Remember to ask for a name, email, and phone number. And be aware of privacy policies and opt-out requirements. 

Offer Online Ordering, Curbside Delivery and Shipping

If your business sells products, offer online ordering and curbside delivery on your website and social media pages. This process works great for hair salons, but not so much for lawyers.  

Develop Online Content That Will Help Your Customers

Consider answering the most common questions you’re asked. You can post a list of FAQs online, schedule and host a webinar, and/or record and post a video answering common questions. 

For example, if you’re an attorney who specializes in employment law, you can offer a wealth of guidance during this challenging time. Employers need to know how they can and can’t handle such things as reductions in hours or benefits, work-from-home policies, sick time, and disciplinary actions. Corporate attorneys can provide information on contract clauses that might help, given this worldwide business interruption. Everyone could use a little enlightening on the new Coronavirus bill. 

Businesses of all types can create useful content. If you own a hair salon, develop hair and makeup tutorials. Offer tips on how to maintain your color at home, use accessories and styling to hide roots, or give your family emergency trims at home. Run photo contests for before and after at-home transformations, and offer to fix those haircuts when social distancing requirements are lifted. 

Shops and stores, depending on their specialties, can showcase seasonal products or show how shopping in your own home can help refresh spaces and your wardrobe. Show how products can be used in multiple ways with minor adjustments. 

Develop Content, Not Just Ads

Businesses of all sizes around the world are having to rethink their advertising and social media surrounding the pandemic. This Adweek article addresses many of those considerations.

In short, don’t make the mistake of automatically jumping to social media advertising. Social media advertising can be cost-effective and a great way to target customers. As a marketer and social media fan, I’m seeing social media ads on a scale I’ve never seen prior to the pandemic. Before you consider placing ads on social media, think about simply staying in touch and providing valuable content. Show you care. It’s the businesses with heart that will survive this crisis best.

Related Posts:

Business Continuity Communications: How Prepared Is Your Business?

Posting Original Content: Advanced Social Media Post Ideas for Professionals
Three Essential Social Media Tips for Attorneys, CPAs, and Other Professionals

Business Continuity Communications: How Prepared Is Your Business?

Communicating during a crisis like the one we’re experiencing with Covid-19 is crucial and risky for any business. See these tips for communicating effectively to employees and customers.

Has your business reviewed any automatic or pre-scheduled communications for appropriateness given current events? Do you have a solid plan in place for communicating with employees, customers, and the public should a quarantine affect your place of business? How are you communicating about alternative work arrangements, work from home, or business travel to your employees? How are you communicating about sick leave policies? Are you preparing for how to provide updates on upcoming and future events that may be canceled?

Every business should have a formal communication plan for business continuity and crisis situations like the one we’re experiencing with Coronavirus. Communicating accurate information is important, but we also need to address and consider the emotions of employees and customers. 

Use Official Sources

Rely on official, accurate sources to provide information about the pandemic. You may link directly to official sources like the CDC and state government websites, but try not to quote or paraphrase those communications or news organizations that might be perceived to provide slanted information. Your employees and customers have access like never before to news and information. What they need from you now is how your business plans to proactively respond to and address what is happening locally. 

Help Employees 

If your business provides a benefit like an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), make the contact information readily available to employees who may be feeling overwhelmed emotionally or financially. 

Provide information on (hopefully increased) cleaning and sanitizing schedules. Some businesses have even provided hand sanitizers, disinfectants, and facial tissue for use onsite at work. 

Understand that productivity may suffer with employees distracted by news reports,  and many want to discuss current events among themselves. Keep your communications short and easily understood to minimize additional distractions and make it clear what is appropriate to discuss with customers and what is not.

Consider Communication Channels and Messaging 

Develop a multi-pronged, omni-channel communication approach. Use all appropriate communication channels at your disposal, including, email, texts, digital displays, voice messages, message points for supervisors and managers, bulletin boards, intranet, and intracompany social media channels and collaboration tools. And consider which messaging is appropriate for each channel. And again, keep communications short and easy to read. 

Be Agile and Prepare in Advance

Depending on the size of your organization, you may need to involve several leaders in communication planning and distribution, including human resources, facilities, marketing, communications, legal, IT, and security. However, all involved should have a clear understanding of what approvals are needed, when, and for which types of communications. If your company does business in person with the public, specify who is authorized to speak to the media should the need arise and let employees know that only those authorized to speak on behalf of the company should do so. Plan in advance for as many scenarios as you can and finalize drafts well ahead of when situations might arise.

Providing timely and accurate information will go a long way toward reassuring your employees and customers, minimizing distractions and speculation.