Let us start with the obvious: COVID-19 has influenced all of our businesses – no matter the industry. The last few months have been a huge adjustment for all of us in one way or another. It has impacted all our daily lives and, in your case, your business. That being said, when your business is starting to see some changes whether it be a pivot to something new or a reopening after you’ve been closed a while, it’s time to update your marketing strategy as well. It is time for a new strategic approach to your marketing plan not only for right now but for the world post-COVID-19 — Which will happen, we hope, sooner rather than later. We have been faced with many challenges over the last few months, but your marketing plan doesn’t need to be one of those challenges anymore. With the 5 tips below, learn how you can revamp your marketing and grow your business as the world reopens its doors. And, if you want a few extra sets of hands to help you take care of your strategy, planning, social media, booking radio campaigns or anything else that relates to your marketing or advertising don’t forget the 3SIXTY team is always ready to help!
1. Embrace technology
If you haven’t already, it is time to make the move to online marketing and advertising, also known as digital advertising. As social distancing protocols are still in place, people are spending more time online than ever before. Therefore, your business is missing out on big opportunities by not having an online presence, or perhaps not currently having the ability to sell to customers virtually. Beyond just having social media accounts or using Google or Facebook ads, are you taking advantage of what your business can do online promotionally? There are two very important things to remember right now: people are stuck at home and while they’re at home, they are online. Embrace an online presence and approach to selling – so you can restart the engine of your business or increase its speed.
2. Communication is key
People more than ever are craving a human connection due to isolation. That is why maintaining strong communication with your audience is crucial during this time. Beyond just having a business profile set up on social media, ensure that you are responding to customer comments and questions to show you care and that you are there to take care of their needs. This is where building a relationship with your customers is crucial. Post regularly and don’t be afraid to try posting new content to keep viewers engaged and to test out what type of posts get the most response out of your audience. At the moment we’re seeing many responding to online polls. Ask your audience for feedback about products or services they would like to see from your business and allow the conversation to inspire your posts as you go. Even better, try doing a weekly video or vlog to keep your audience up to date with changes, new products and to give them that human connection behind your brand. Remember the more communication you have between you and your audience, the better.
3. E-commerce
Yes, malls and stores have started to reopen, but is your business taking advantage of online sales? If the answer is no, consider if an online shop is the right step for your business to take. According to Statistics Canada, online sales have doubled since COVID-19 began. Canadians now do roughly 10% of all their shopping online, which is a HUGE leap and an even bigger opportunity for you to grow your business. Online selling isn’t just for the big box stores. We can help you create an online solution that’s budget friendly and helps to increase your selling opportunities.
4. Understand the new norms
Overall, it’s important to ensure that you are taking the right steps to allow your audience to feel connected and important to your business. However, you also want them to feel safe. What is your business doing to combat the spread of the virus? Let your audience know what steps your business has taken to ensure you care for their well-being but also appreciate their business. Do you have your staff working from home and communicating with clients virtually or over the phone? Are you ensuring that people coming into your business are social distancing and wearing masks? Do you provide masks to your customers if they forget them? Do you have aggressive sanitization practices in place? Let your audience know so they can understand what you’re doing to stop the spread as well as how to contact and interact with your business to bring back some sort of normal to their shopping experience.
5. Work with marketing pros to help develop a new plan
We’ve seen a lot of ups and downs since COVID-19 first began this year, so if you’re having a difficult time getting your business started back up, understand that you are not alone. It’s tough mentally. It’s tough to think of how everything will work. It’s tough to allocate funds. We know personally ourselves as a locally owned and operated business, and we’ve been hands on in helping many businesses just like yours recreate their selling experience, some from the ground up. If you need help deciding what you need to change with your marketing plan or how to even begin developing a strong marketing strategy for online or in-store sales, we would love to help! At 3SIXTY Marketing Solutions, we are committed to getting you the best marketing results to help you grow your business and that’s a genuine core value of our no-probllama team attitude. Whatever your marketing or advertising needs are, we’ve got you covered…3SIXTY! Give us a call today at (705) 252-4180 and let’s set up a virtual meeting or call so we can take a look at the big picture, find the opportunities and regrow our economy together one day at a time.
