How many businesses will have to close their doors as a result of this pandemic? Nobody knows for sure. But it is certain that the final tally will be larger than the number of businesses that have already succumbed to the virus. We already have vaccines that are extremely effective at keeping humans from becoming ill with the coronavirus. But there is no such vaccine for businesses. And when things do open up again, there is no guarantee your business is going to survive.
The shot in the arm for businesses will be marketing. You will have to craft a message that will cut through the noise, fear, hesitance, and uncertainty of the market. Even though you have built it, they still might not come. You probably don’t need to rebuild it to get them to come. You need to tell them about what you’ve built in a way that will get them over the initial hurdles that will keep millions home long after the crisis demands.
The world will be watching California as it is one of the hardest-hit areas on the planet. Businesses are just hanging on by a thread. The marketing challenge has proven to be too much for many businesses. Those hard-hit businesses will have to look to the professionals for their digital marketing in Irvine. If you insist on going it alone, you will need to take your cues from the professionals who are proving successful in these unusual times. Be sure your marketing plan includes the following:
Virtue Signaling
Usually, virtue signaling is a tacky and distasteful ploy for the cynical. If you are focused on providing service and value to your community, they will know it and share it by word of mouth. At least, that is how it used to be. However, the pandemic has kept us at home and winter will keep us huddled around the heater.
If you want people to join marches and protest to save small businesses, you are going to have to let them know that you are a business worth saving. This is not the time for silent good deeds that no one in the community knows about. If you have lowered prices for the elderly and shut in, shout if from the rooftops. If you are giving away free meals to first responders, have it covered by the press. Not every business is going to make it out of this in one piece. If you want yours to be one of them, give the people a reason to champion your business.
Talk About Your Safety Measures
One of the great corporate lessons to learn is from Trader Joe’s. Early in the pandemic, they developed a reputation for not taking adequate safety measures for their employees and customers. Now, they are known for being one of the companies getting it right during the pandemic.
While many companies started out strong, they developed Covid fatigue along the way. They stopped doing the little things. The big things soon followed. Your marketing message needs to include the things you are doing to keep people safe. People need to know that you have their best interests in mind, and not just profits.
Local SEO
Despite how crucial your message is, it is meaningless if you don’t get it to the people who need to see it. Spreading the word about the reopening of your bread shop to everyone with an internet connection might make you feel special. But it will not make you a dime if you don’t actually deliver fresh bread all over the world.
What you need is a digital marketing strategy based on local SEO. For the better part of another year, businesses will not thrive based on random foot traffic. They will rely on people finding them from home computers, tablets, and smartphones. Local search is the new Yellow Pages. Before leaving home, shoppers will already know where they are going and if the item they want is in stock. Local SEO is how you get to the top of that list.
The way out of the pandemic for businesses is patience, luck, and marketing like there is no tomorrow. Use local SEO to give people a reason to fight for you. And let them know why it will be safe for them to do business with you going forward.
