It is no longer news that what we knew to be ‘normal’ is most likely not going to be for a long time to come. COVID-19 has changed everything, and there are chances these changes will remain in our lives for a while. Marketing isn’t left out of this new shift. As business owners, however, we must find ways to do business in the new normal, because new opportunities are emerging in many industries.
We have collated some of the opportunities for marketing your business that has emerged below:
1. Try Paid Ads; they are cheaper than before
Paid ads are becoming cheaper during COVID-19, and there is an opportunity for small and medium businesses that want to advertise their products or services. This may have been because many advertisers have stopped their ads or reduced their spending. Also, most users spend more time online, so they get more ads to their feeds per day. It’s worth giving PPC ads a try if your target audience keeps buying products during COVID-19.
2. Your customers can pay over time
With COVID-19, people have many financial worries these days. A lot of them have stopped working and staying safe at home. Even for those that didn’t get fired, there are many uncertainties about the future. So, the conversion rates are down on many industries.
To improve your conversion rates and sales, you should consider creating a type of monthly installment plan (if applicable, especially for service businesses). Many tools can help you to offer different payment plans online. For instance, even a Paypal invoice can allow for partial payment. However, you will need to evaluate how this will affect your business finances before considering it.
3. Engage More Online
As we said above, more people spend time online, especially on their mobile. This isn’t a time when you let your social media and online listings go stale. This is a time to take an audit of all your social accounts and online presence and craft an engagement plan to reach your target audience and stay top of mine for them. Also, consider creating posts and content that are relevant to people’s ongoing concerns and needs at this time. That way, you will have an emotional connection with them and get them to move closer to purchasing from you. Finally, on this point, make sure you consistently update your business information, so people have the latest update about your business.
4. Add value and Help others
This is one time in history that a form of CSR online can result in a ripple effect positive scent for your business. Helping people during COVID-19 is the right thing to do and will encourage people to say positive things about your business, which in turn boosts your brand image. You can give some of your services free, post public service announcements, do giveaways to people who need it, and much more. Helping others may reduce your earnings in the short term, but it can bring new customers to your business while improving your brand image.
Wrapping It Up
As businesses, the fate of your business depends on evolving to the new normal and constant improvement. The suggestions above may not apply to all your business in the same way, but you will be able to adapt it as necessary. Even as things are quite difficult, it is still possible in many industries to find new clients, strengthen your relationship with the existing ones, and work on a long-term sustainability plan.