04/06/2020
In our lifetime, I can't remember a time when things were tough for so many businesses. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed so many things for all of us. Employees working from home, some businesses are closed, and it is impossible at this time to get in front of prospective clients face to face for sales calls or anything else.
One thing we do know for certain - your consumers are spending a lot of time watching television, online on social media and listening to the radio. With everyone shut in their homes for several weeks, they will be consuming all forms of media at incredibly above-average amounts. So, what does this mean if you have a business relative to marketing opportunities?
For some, you have been forced to shut down your business, and to pull all ad budgets. When there is no revenue coming in, we completely understand this choice. However, even if a business is closed and can afford to do something, you should!! It will keep your brand from losing its place in top of mind awareness when this does end. Plus, those expenditures will likely be reimbursable as part of your SBA PPP or EIDL loan program.
Make sure you have a cross-screen plan to reach your customers from social media platforms (small screens) to traditional TV that so many are watching. I am advising clients at the very least, you should have a Facebook video on your page. Radio can also be a great asset as well, but as with all your other media, make sure it reaches your market. It takes frequency of your message for radio to work.
You will also need to take a good look at your existing creative to ensure that it takes into account today's current sensitivities. You should also adjust your short- and long-term strategies to keep the message both relevant and respectful.
This situation will eventually resolve, and people will go out again and shop and use all the services that they have been using. Make sure you are ready when the time comes to retain and even grow your customer base. When this ends, you are likely to see a marketing push by companies that can like never before in the history of our nation. Businesses (your competitors) will be seeking to ramp back up quickly to retain or even grow market share.
Here's my 5-Point Marketing guide for you to ponder for business recovery.
1- Be ready to restart your marketing as soon as it is evident your customers/clients can react to what you supply. Be ready to adapt. Sometimes, swift changes are required.
2- Now is the time to look at all the tools at your disposal. We live in a cross-screen world, and you should take advantage of where your potential customers are consuming media. The digital world is one that many can’t quite grasp, but it is time to take a critical look at what you have been doing and make changes to adapt to digital.
3- Examine your creativity/message and make sure it effectively and creatively hits your target! The message is EVERYTHING!
4- Be wary of "gimmick" marketing ploys. They can be excessively expensive with a "high" waste factor. We already see an abundance of these ramping up to attack your ad dollars. Stick with tried and true methods to deliver the quickest results.
5- Cash is king! With cash flow down for so many, it is essential to be laser-focused on reaching those that are in need of what you have to offer. The smaller the budget, the more important this becomes because every dollar counts. Every penny must hit the mark!
I was speaking with a business friend over the weekend and we were pondering the bounce the economy will likely take when this ends. We are both hopeful and feel it could be substantial.
If you own or run a business or know of someone that does, our company, Jacobs Media Services will gladly speak with you on how to chart a course that can help you gain back your lost revenue. There's no obligation at all, and even if you are a small business, we will give you advice on your strategy for when business returns. We are a small business, and we are here to help you. I tell customers all the time - "It doesn't cost a thing to listen and you just might learn something and make a friend."
Send me a message through Facebook or call my cell at 256-310-5139. Like most right now, I have limited hours at the office but leave a message, and I promise, I will call you back.
I've been successfully active in the media marketing game and running small businesses all my life - almost 40 years now. I can't wait to help you be a business rock star on the other side of this once-in-a-lifetime crisis and regardless if we do business or now, I always appreciate the opportunity to make a new friend!
