How to Market Your Business Amidst COVID

im Grotto thinks of the world as one giant puzzle, constantly collecting information and stories that might help her solve it. She is the Founder and Owner of Grotto Marketing, a marketing and branding company that focuses on a collaborative approach and individualized growth. Grotto Marketing quickly gets to the heart of what’s important for every business, crafts a unique strategy, and builds a marketing plan around each client’s point of view on their market, in order to deliver business growth.

Kim sat down with us and discussed actionable strategies on how to approach your business marketing in the midst of the continuing public health and economic crises. Times-and People-Have Changed

The pandemic has lasted longer than anyone initially anticipated, and I think we should all expect about 18 months transition time, when we do begin to come out of this. “After” COVID does not mean ‘back to business’ as usual, either. The world is forever changed. Here are a few of my observations:

We are seeing innovation and adoption at a record pace (examples include food delivery, eLearning, and even online medicine). This will only continue as businesses are either forced to pivot and adapt, or otherwise close their doors.

The longer this uncertainty remains, the more people will face a reckoning of their values, behaviors, and habits. With most people working from home, there is a renewed focus on hyper-local community, mental well-being, exercising, supporting small business, education, and the arts… with a willingness to pay for it.

Building an Online Presence

It is more important than ever to have an online presence. In today’s day and age, online platforms are how most new consumers will discover your business, and they are an efficient way to communicate, especially in times like these. In some instances, your digital delivery will also be your only revenue stream.

How to make your online business stand out? Focus on the fundamentals. Are you satisfied with your website? Can it deliver your products and services, today? What eCommerce options do you have and how quickly can you build it? Have you claimed your Google and Bing business listing? Do you own all of your social media handles and is your information up to date? How regularly are you communicating? When was the last time you sent an email to your audience?

A DISRUPTION OF THIS MAGNITUDE OPENS UP MANY OPPORTUNITIES

With so much of us stuck behind closed doors, computers and phones are the gateway to the outside world. If you’re not interacting online, you’re at risk of being forgotten.

The Power of Communication

If your tactic is to outshout everyone else, at this point, you’re just adding to the noise. There’s always someone willing to yell louder. And if you’re using social media as a billboard, you’ll likely go unnoticed, particularly from a business perspective. With 24/7 news cycle captivating our feeds, you need take a hard look at your communications strategy and adjust it according to today’s conditions:

Focus on communicating and connecting over your values, not your product. Now more than ever, people are seeking a genuine connection, and they’ll pay attention to those who create it.

Do not assume people know anything. Do not expect them to connect the dots.

Deliver digestible chunks of information. Bullet points and 2-3 sentence paragraphs are your friend.

Concentrate on frequency and repetition. In this environment, it may take 3-5 exposures to your message for someone to take notice and for it to sink-in.

I will note that audiences seeking thought leadership and evergreen content will have a higher tolerance for well-thought, more in-depth pieces.

Create a Marketing Strategy

There’s a reason marketers have one strategy for prospects (acquisition) and one strategy for customers (retention, cross-sell, upsells, referrals). Zero in on your audiences and strategize for them individually.

Remember: a disruption of this magnitude opens up many opportunities.

Covid-19 is a pretty big interruption to the usual thought patterns and routines. People’s everyday lives are completely different. Their habits and routines have been turned upside down. They’re searching for answers and sharing information like crazy, as their values and character are being pressure tested.

Collectively, this opens the door to discovering new solutions and exploring new ways of doing things. If your products have meaning, value, and relevance, customers will be willing to try them out. Think about your prospects and customers as individuals and meet them where they are.

Lean into Marketing

Do not cut your marketing budget to zero! I know it’s the go-to expense to pull back on but there are much wider implications to this than simply advertising dollars. If you eliminate it, you’ll not only lower expenses, you’ll simultaneously reduce the opportunity for revenue, growth, and innovation. Now is the time to lean into your marketing. Just make sure you invest in it wisely.

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