We know that you have personally felt the effects of COVID-19 in your business’ day-to-day operations – canceling appointments, closing your shop, offering deliveries, started working from home or postponing events. But what has it affected when it comes to your marketing and PR activities?
How Coronavirus has effected your business:
As businesses, we need to know how to address the issue properly and recognize that our Marketing and PR strategies can’t continue as usual during this time. Since people are panicking, their focus and attention is not on what you are offering or about your business developments. There are a few things that you should avoid during this time and things that you can focus on until this pandemic comes to an end.
Working from home
Be responsible and let your employees work from home during this time. Not only does this help your employees stay safe, but it also keeps your business out of any news headlines as a possible cause of a virus spread.
Staying connected to your audience
It’s time to put your needs aside and focus on your customers’ needs and concerns during this time. Find a way how to help ease up your customers’ tension and panic by offering them useful content for example; if you are a financial institution, produce content that shows ways how your audience can save money during this time or how their small business can adapt to a decrease in customer numbers and purchases.
Postpone all press releases and launches
Now is not the time for any press releases or launches for your business. People are in a state of panic and only have time to focus on the current situation we are in, not your business’ news. So postpone any press releases or launches you had scheduled until things calm down.
Work on projects you were postponing
Everyone has those projects that we were postponing because we were too busy or had more important tasks to do. Now it the time to dig up those projects and give them your attention. This may include creating and publishing a website, designing new offers, creating content for your business, or even updating your brand.
Go Online
Events and conferences are off-limits at the moment so look for ways to create content online to support your business’ PR strategies. Create videos of your employees working from home, let them be creative on social media to show your business in another light, and engage your audience.
Work on your social media presence
Since a lot of people are staying home during this time, they will be using social media more frequently. Take this as an opportunity and look for ways to spice up your social media presence. Upload new and exciting content that keeps your brand on your audience’s mind but also speaks to the needs of your audience.
Optimise your business’ online presence
You can make sure that your blogs, website, or third-party sites where your business is listed, are fully optimized. Refine your SEO and marketing strategy to make sure that your content is as visible as possible to your audience. List down any information that is not working within your current business strategy and adjust your approach and budget to update everything accordingly.
Be as helpful as possible
Identify how you can help your employees and customers who have been affected by this virus. Whether you would help with resources, skill-set, or technology, make sure that you are helping during this stressful time. This might not be a traditional marketing tactic but it is the right thing to do during this time and will surely be appreciated by your audience.