Marketing in lockdown is something that every business needs to do and in this post I’ll give you some practical tips to let you know what you should be posting.
Lockdown is distressing for a lot of people and if you are used to being a busy owner who now finds themselves sitting at home you may well be finding it hard.
The trick in my opinion is to start to see this as an opportunity because it’s a time when we can sit down and do some of the things that we always wanted to do but never had the time.
Marketing is one of those things that often gets put on the backburner so here are 6 things you can do whilst in lockdown to revitalise your marketing
#1 – Tell people what’s happening – your customers will want to know what’s going on so write up a quick post that tells people what is happening, whether you are working or not and wishing them well.
If you are modifying your business model, maybe still working but with everyone remotely then let your clients know and ask them honestly to be supportive if your usual standards slip a little.
#2 – Review your current marketing – What has worked, what hasn’t? Is there something you do that has become a habit but has now lost its effectiveness?
A friend of mine found themselves forced to spend some time in hospital and used the time to do exactly this and realised that the time they invested in networking meetings really didn’t pay dividends, so after they recovered they scaled down the number of meetings they went to.
#3 – Make up your plan – when the current crisis has finished how will you get back to normal? Will the old normal be the new normal?
Once you have worked out how you are going to operate in the future you can work out how you are going to communicate with your customers.
The lock down is the ideal time to sit quietly and plan how your marketing will work in the future. Think about your target market, where they hang out & how and what you will communicate to them.
#4 – Find some marketing partners – once you have worked what sort of things you are going to produce then you can look for help in developing your ideas.
If you have decided that you are going to do a series of blogs or an eBook then you’ll need to contact a copywriter (ahem), or if you are looking at video then you’ll want someone who has videography skills.
You may want to find a PR expert and a social media consultant to publicise your work or maybe a graphic designer to make things look smashing. Speak to your network for recommendations or look at platforms like Peopleperhour to find professionals that can assist.
#5 – Keep producing – We know that Google loves fresh content so it is important to keep producing even if your business isn’t operating at the moment.
Look for content that will have a long shelf life and will work just as well post-lock down so that you can promote it when your company is back up and running.
#6 – Look for collaborations – who says that you can only produce content for your business?
Why can’t you produce content with your suppliers or customers?
Imagine a photographer who produces a video that shows how they chose some equipment and then used it with one of their customers. The cost of production can be split three ways and all three companies can promote the content.
So have a word with your suppliers and customers and see if a collaboration is possible.
So there are my tips.
I think the most important point is to not give up on your marketing.
You need to keep the pot boiling so that as soon as we are able to open up again you can get off to a flying start.
All the best and stay healthy.
And if you want help with building your marketing plan or producing content then why not get in touch?