COVID and Your Business’ Future
Okay…DEEP breath.
Anyone paying attention over the past 18 months has felt great pain due to chronic business stress tests, ongoing social isolation, and communal exhaustion.
40% of workers whose life assumptions have shifted are expected to leave their jobs by March, even if they don’t have something else lined up.
Millions will never again work in an office full-time (or at all), hugely depressing commercial real estate markets. 25% of shopping malls will probably close before 2030, becoming condos, affordable housing, or who knows what else.
Fear of potential future lockdowns is driven by daily headlines sparked by a world riven into vaccinated and unvaccinated camps.
Amidst this tumult countless consumers have permanently shifted to online shopping. Businesses by the score have gone under, further depressing real estate futures.
Everyone assumes there’s another wave of bad news coming, driven by variants, lockdowns, politics, or stupidity. And every CEO’s asking: “How can I ensure the continued good health of my organization?”
I suggest the following:
Keep your website current (and interesting) at all times to encourage return visits.
Use blogs to demonstrate your industry expertise.
Improve your social media presence. If you’re not posting on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, start. If you already are, do more.
Expand your messaging. Digital ads, radio, and coupons will all keep you visible.
Maintain regular communications with your existing customer and prospect base via e-newsletters, phone calls, texts, and email.
Want more? Reach out to past customers, trying to lure them back. Treat staff like family, speaking with them daily to ensure all their needs are being taken care of. And provide incentives for staff and customers to refer you business.
It’s important to constantly reinforce that you’re not disappearing. Membership in community organizations (Rotary, Kiwanis, etc.) and participation in silent auctions and boards for these and similar groups keeps your business visible.
Involvement in area events reminds folks you’re their neighbor. So does running a sales promotion to drive traffic to your brick & mortar and/or online store.
Finally, keep your customer service operations efficient, lest you chase people away.
Above all, don’t panic. The best reason for marketing in 2021 is 2022. You may not get immediate sales, but people will remember you when the dust finally settles.
With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.
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