How to Adapt your Marketing During C-19

The effects from Covid-19 on our daily lives and businesses are being felt across the globe and all of us will be facing uncertainty and worry. It’s important to stay positive and try to do what you can to keep your business up and running. This will require you to think a bit differently about what you can offer your customers and clients and how you can deliver your services or products safely.

Here are a few tips to help you rethink your products and services to cope with the change in demand and your customers requirements.

Reassess your products and services

• Look at what you can still sell - how can you adapt to be able to meet the needs of your customers? 
• Essential items - can you buy from your supplier to sell to your existing customers?
• Can you offer gift vouchers for use after the lockdown is lifted? Have you considered crowdfunding to raise your funds or to fund a new project or venture?
• Offer online or telephone ordering facilities
• Offer delivery services within your local area - communities are teaming up and offering pickup and drop-off for local households, can you make use of these services to get your products out to your customers?
• To keep your outgoings to a minimum you might want to consider your skill set and try to do more things within your business yourself.
• Offer contactless payments.
• Offer your same services virtually - online classes, consultations, training etc... it may even bring in a new revenue stream when lockdown is lifted.
• Keep your customers updated with any changes you need to make to keep everyone safe

As you adapt your business and services be sure to remain true to your brand values, be consistent and professional.

What you can do with all this time on your hands!

• Business Plan - Prepare for how your business might need to change after the lockdown is lifted.
• Marketing Plan or Strategy - Now is the perfect time to update your marketing plan. Identify any visitors to your website for increased customer engagement. Having a detailed customer database will also help you see any changes in behaviour as the crisis continues.
• Social Media Plan or Strategy - Having a clear plan to tackle your online presence will ensure maximum customer engagement
• Post regular updates to your social media - Keep it current, upbeat and relevant to your business.
• Clean your customer list - Make sure you have up-to-date customer data.
• Learn a new skill - Anything that can enhance the services you offer or how you can market your business ie. try a new social platform.
• Create content - Consider writing blogs to keep your customers updated 
• Take Stock - If you sell products you need to be sure of your stock levels, especially as supply and demand are so volatile right now.
• Support other local businesses - When you’re not working try to support local businesses by recommending them, reviewing them or buying from them.
• Check your finances - See where you can make any savings to help maintain your business.
• Forward thinking - Update your website with any new services you are offering.

And one last thing!
You may be wondering how to best communicate with your existing customers, they may have stopped buying from you and you are unsure how C-19 has affected their business. Contact them by phone or a personal email, strengthen your customer relationships and build trust. Don’t try to sell them anything, just simply ask how they are doing. Loyal customers are your priority, ask how you can help and support them.

How has C-19 affected your business? Has anything surprised you? Have you developed any new products or services, I would love to hear if the changes have brought on positive new developments, however small they are.