I was on a call with a prospect yesterday when it occurred to me how smart this man was. Let me explain:
Here we are — in-the-midst of a pandemic — and nearly everyone’s business has slowed way down. And yet, this business owner reached out to us to start marketing his company. He admitted that he had always been too busy and relied solely on word-of-mouth for years. Now that his business was slow, he is investing the time to step-up his branding and marketing. He wants to be ready to go — and that’s smart.
I understand that the knee-jerk reaction whenever the market slows is to stop marketing — to save those dollars typically spent on sales. And while I cannot say that I completely disagree that we need to be careful with our expenses, I would also make a strong case that doing no marketing will hurt your business both now, and in the long run.
We are playing the long game here. We don’t know what the landscape will look like or when things will ramp back up. But, when they do, we want you and your business to be prepared and top-of-mind of those looking for you. To paraphrase Hamilton the Musical, you want to be “in the room when it happens”, so we have put together a few suggestions for you:
- Don’t stop: Don’t stop engaging. Don’t stop communicating. Don’t stop what you were typically doing for your marketing and sales. It may be at a scaled back level, but even so, continue to make the investment. Your prospects will be looking for a business that is active, engaged and ready when they are. If you stop your efforts entirely, you will be forgotten and overlooked when the next opportunity arises.
- Use this time wisely: While we’re moving at a slower pace, why not use this time to focus on those marketing ideas and projects you always meant to get to? Update your website, start an e-newsletter, create a social media plan, work on your SEO and so forth. Then, when things heat up, you will be so far ahead of the game. Don’t wait until you are busy again to start. The time is now!
- Reflect: We have had to rethink a lot of things these past several months, so why not take some time away to really think about your goals — have they changed? Your services — can they be altered to better serve your clientele now? And your marketing — are there new ways to reach your target audience? This space that’s been created in our lives is the perfect time to do a lot of re-evaluating and course creation. What’s truly important to you and how will you and your business get there?
- Invest in yourself: I am a huge proponent of being a lifelong student. I never stop learning. I’m using part of the time I’d normally use driving to meetings or attending events to learn new skills that will add to what we are able to offer our clients. There are so many options for online learning — from degrees and certificates to webinars and classes. I also enjoy a good business book. What can you do to add to your skill set or expand your services? Is there something you are curious about or always wanted to learn? Now is the perfect time — and who knows what ideas may spring forth because of it!
- Try something new: Thinking creatively about how you can market your business in a different way does not have to cost a lot. For example, can you create a virtual event or write an article for submission to an industry periodical? My point is to start to think differently and try something new — maybe even a little out of your comfort zone. It requires some thought and effort, but if you can discover something that works for your business, the rewards will be well worth it.
These are just a few ideas and suggestions I have (of many!) which I hope have sparked some thought and have motivated you to keep going. We will get through this unusual time, but until then, let’s make the best use of this slowdown to discover new ways to reach out and stay connected while preparing ourselves for whatever comes next. We are always here and ready to help if you get stuck, have questions, or just want to hear more of my ideas. I’d love to hear yours as well and what has worked for you!
And, please remember, just don’t stop. We got this.
—Amy
