(ThySistas.com) This generation has never lived through a pandemic, so it’s evident that times are going to be tough. However, as a small business, you can’t afford for the challenging periods to continue. It’s hard enough to make ends meet – 80% of SMEs fail – without a global health crisis hanging over your head.
The only option is to keep calm and continue while understanding the world is different. This means advertising the same way is bound to be ineffective. After all, people are interacting remotely! But, to cut marketing during a downturn usually leads to a profit drop of -0.8%.
So, what are you supposed to do?
Transition To Performance Marketing
Your already limited resources are lower than ever, which means you must account for every penny you spend. The issue is, advertising isn’t easy to collate as you have to speculate to accumulate. To stop doing this would result in fewer and fewer campaigns and lower returns. Thankfully, performance marketing allows you to work toward targets while knowing how much of your budget you’re spending. Then, you can concentrate on the methods that represent the highest ROI and swerve everything else, saving a considerable sum and boosting your earning power in the process.
Be More Human
There’s a human element to the pandemic due to the numbers of people who have died or been hospitalized as a result of the virus. Therefore, to carry on as if nothing has happened is insensitive and bound to lead to controversy. You have two options – address the topic head-on or be subtle. The latter is easier than it sounds since search engine optimization promotes traffic without being in your face. Look here for more information. Alternatively, lots of brands have switched their historical messages to highlight solidarity, such as KFC.
Improve Lives
Nothing is worse than being stuck at home. The worse thing is, nobody can do anything about it since the administration has powers to curb civil liberties that have been taken for granted. You should see this as an opportunity. They have a problem, you have a service, and you can offer a solution. An apparent example is the number of businesses who gave away work out sessions for free or restaurants who delivered so that people could continue to eat out. These gestures may be small, yet they improve lives in a period when everything is unpredictable.
Redistribute Funds
While you shouldn’t put all of your eggs in one basket, it’s clear that the future of the company is going to be online. You could argue this was the case previously, but the health crisis has exacerbated the situation. To continue paying bills and investing money into a physical store is counterproductive as the lack of visitors means the return on the investment will be low. However, taking the resources and funnelling them into your website and online presence will help you to boost awareness and improve traffic during the pandemic.
How are you advertising in the age of social distancing?
Staff Writer; Susan Love