Marketing and advertising often come hand-in-hand and are some of the main keys to being successful in any business. By definition, marketing is the process of identifying customer needs and determining how best to meet those needs. At the same time, advertising promotes a company and its products or services through paid channels. But how do you do it when a pandemic hits?
Everything changed when the COVID-19 pandemic started. One of the major problems worldwide is the shutting down of small and medium businesses. If you somehow managed to keep your business alive until now, here are some business marketing and advertising strategies that you can do.
Marketing
Due to the pandemic, consumers’ buying patterns have changed since most people are staying at home. A good marketing strategy can be achieved by observing and anticipating their needs. The pandemic has been causing people stress, anxiety, and depression. With this, you may want to think of something that can help people alleviate their stress levels and make their lives a bit easier.
Staying at home and social distancing is being implemented to minimize the transmission of the virus. So you may want to consider having services that will help with people’s communication and bringing them closer.
Another good way is by creating a survey. You can ask your loyal customers for their feedback and ask for new ones as well. Never underestimate this one as it can give you pieces of information and insights from different kinds of people and use it to your advantage.
Advertising
Now that you already have a marketing strategy, it’s time to go to advertising. The ways of advertising and promoting products vary greatly from the ones that we usually know. Take pamphlets and posters as an example. Using them right now would be less effective than before since people have spent most of their time in their homes. Here are some ideas on how you can pivot your advertising.
Use Social Media Platforms
According to Pew Research, 53% of Americans say the Internet has been essential during the COVID-19 outbreak. This means that people have been relying on the internet for communication and entertainment purposes. Promoting your products using social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc., will help reach a wider scope of consumers. Another good thing about this is it can be free!
Make a Website
Making your own website can have a good impression on your consumers and potential clients. If done right, it can make your products and services look more legitimate and credible. If you don’t know where to start, get familiar with Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This can help your website rank higher in search engines and make it easier to look for. As a result, it will generate more clicks and can increase your sales.
Create Partnerships
Partnerships with other businesses can be very productive. For example, if you own a restaurant and have a hard time getting customers since the pandemic, you may want to find a delivery business. This will allow people to avail of your products and services by ordering and delivering them to their doorstep.
Not only can this boost your business, but you will also be helping other business owners too. You can also help and promote each other’s businesses as well.
Another way of creating partnerships to promote your business is by sending your products to people who write blogs and creates videos. A perfect example of this is by using Youtube. The vlogging industry has been booming, especially since the start of the pandemic. People are now creating different content, and you can ask them to review your products and leave positive feedback.
E-coupons and Referrals
Coupons are a good way of attracting customers, especially now that most people have been restricting their expenses and allocating more to their emergency funds. But instead of the traditional paper coupons, you can make an offer for electronic or digital ones so they can be readily available online.
Take advantage of your loyal and consistent customers. Offer them a discount through the referral program. This means asking your old clients to spread the word about your business and refer it to other people to increase sales.
Running a business during a crisis is very challenging. These marketing and advertising strategies will help you tip the scales in your direction and keep your business afloat. If you’re feeling discourages, remember that you are also helping to revive the economy and make the world a better place.
