With the COVID-19 pandemic causing chaos all around the world, small business owners are being forced to make some difficult decisions. Depending on your industry, you may have been forced to lay off staff, put major projects on hold, or close your doors entirely. As a small business owner, you have two options when it comes to marketing yourself: you can either panic and slash your marketing budget or you can use the shutdown as an opportunity to prepare for a successful comeback when the quarantine measures are over. If you’re confused about how you should handle your marketing during the COVID-19 pandemic, Southern Crescent Broadcasting has some advice that could help you weather the storm during this uncertain time.

Biggest Mistakes Businesses are Making during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Business is down; you have inventory wasting away on your shelves; big clients are putting a pause on their projects. These are all problems, to be sure, but it’s how you react to them that will determine your success when the outbreak is over. You could pretend nothing is wrong and conduct business as usual but that could mean wasting money and resources. You could panic and slash your marketing budget but that could give your competitors a chance to get ahead of you. Should you be marketing at all during this time? The digital marketing experts at SCB believe you should be. In fact, cutting your marketing budget during the COVID-19 pandemic could be the biggest mistake you ever make.

Why Continue Marketing?

Everyone is having a difficult time coping with being locked down. Right now, they want to feel a sense of normalcy. Established businesses can help provide that by adopting a new strategy and continuing their marketing efforts. A sustained marketing effort during the lockdown can keep your business in front of current and potential customers so they’ll seek you out when it’s lifted. For businesses that are just starting out, marketing during the lockdown can help you continue building your brand. With so many people stuck at home, their eyes are going to be glued to their mobile devices. This is your chance to introduce yourself!

How to Market during COVID-19

If you want conduct successful marketing activities during the COVID-19 lockdown, you’ll have to change your strategy. Content marketing can be a great way to stay in touch, so try writing some blogs telling your current and future customers how your business is dealing with all this downtime. Here are a few more tips for marketing during COVID:

• Adapt Your Services – If the COVID lockdown is putting a damper on business as usual, try finding something new to market. You can find a new product or service to promote, like curbside service for restaurants, or you can tweak an established product to make it viable in the current climate.
• Adapt Your Delivery Methods – With so many people stuck at home, it just makes sense to increase your digital presence. If you’re not using SEO and digital marketing, now is the time to start. Social media marketing, live videos, email marketing, and even traditional media buys can all help to get your name out there.
• Focus on Current Clients – Your most loyal customers are the ones who will come back to you when this is all over. Find ways to take good care of them now and they will repay you in the future!
• Evaluate Your Content – With business slowing down, now is the time to take a look at your website and social media profiles. Update any outdated information so your customers won’t be confused.
• Do an Outreach Project – We all love to see local businesses doing what they can to help their communities during this crisis. Find a service organization in your area and volunteer your time. People in your area will remember seeing you pitch in to help!

The most important thing to remember about marketing during COVID-19 is that it’s all about the long term. Things may be tough right now, but this will pass. If you need more advice, Southern Crescent Broadcasting can help. Get in touch with us today by filling out our online contact form and we can help you find the best marketing strategy to use during the COVID-19 pandemic.