There’s been a rallying cry across social media throughout the coronavirus pandemic as business after business hits inevitable hurdles. People are reminding their friends and neighbors to support locally owned small businesses.
It’s not just that small businesses struggle more during tough economic times compared with big businesses (they do!) or that small businesses keep more dollars circulating in the local economy compared with big businesses (they do that too!).
It’s also that people want to support local businesses because they see these mom-and-pop establishments as a part of their community — they know the owners and the staff, and they see what these businesses contribute to their quality of life. Buying local is personal.
That’s why this is the time to be more human in your marketing. You want your followers to know who you are and who your employees are behind the façade of your business. You’re not Mr. or Ms. Corporate who own a business, and your employees are not just waiters, sales associates, technicians or cashiers. You are all human beings with families, hobbies, personalities and goals. You are relatable to your followers. Now is the time to show them that.
Why? Well, showing a human side of your business is good for both you and for your customer. In terms of your benefit, it makes your customers more inclined to support you during this difficult time. And from a customer’s perspective, they feel good about rallying around you. They know that when they patronize your business, they are not just getting a product or service — they are helping support a neighbor and a friend.
During times of fear and uncertainty, such as the present COVID-19 pandemic, people appreciate the reminder that we’re all in this together. Now isn’t the time to be overly promotional or exploiting the anxiety that people are experiencing. Instead, aim for messages that are empathetic.
Most business owners understand that their social media presence is about establishing their brand: their core set of values and the attributes that distinguish them as a business. Your brand is what people can rely on and expect from you. This is a time for your brand to be about being a human being who is united with your customers when life gets scary. You understand them. You share their concerns. You’re not a robot or a corporate machine.
Here are just a few ideas of how you can show your human side with digital marketing during the pandemic:
Let people know what your business is doing.
Everyone’s life is a little bit tumultuous right now. If you are adjusting your hours or closing your brick-and-mortar location temporarily, people will understand. Assure them that this is a choice you’re making in the best interest of your employees and your customers, but that you will be available to serve them again soon. Be transparent and forthright as soon as you know what changes you need to make. Be sure to let people know how they can stay in touch with you in the meantime, as you care about them and you want to be able to serve them as best you can in the interim and when you reopen. Let them know what you will be doing during this down time to make your business better. Will you be working on new services you can offer sooner, rather than later? Will you be using the time to redecorate your storefront so that they come back to something you have wanted for a long time? Will you be deep cleaning the restaurant and donating some of the food that you won’t use to local shelters? Your customers really do want to know. Show them.
Open up and talk.
Share your experiences through this pandemic, whether it’s with photos, videos or just a blog post. Tell your followers about an elderly or immunocompromised loved one you are caring for during this time, or what you’re doing to keep your children occupied and focused when they are out of school. This is a time when everyone wants to feel as if they aren’t struggling alone. Let them know if there are ways you can help them. This may mean you can give them tips they can put to work even while you are not open.
Give people a tour of your brick-and-mortar location. Now that your brick-and-mortar location is closed for a few weeks, this might be an ideal time to do a video tour of it. Livestream from your phone or tablet and give your followers a behind-the-scenes look. It’s simple but it’s something you might not have a chance to do during busier times, and it will make your followers feel more connected to you.
Hold a live video to discuss the pandemic and how people are passing the time. Live videos are popular during this period of isolation because they make people feel as if they’re actually interacting with others. You could talk about topics relevant to your business, or you and your team could just take the chance to engage with people about what they’re doing at home — the books they’re reading, the projects they’re working on, the people they’re spending time with. If you are a bar owner, host a virtual happy hour on Zoom. If you are a networking professional hold a Zoom call for different industries so that you might be able to pass referrals even as you are down. If possible or if it makes sense record the call and share it with a note about how you are still work for your customers even now.
Talk about your industry. Establish yourself as an expert. People might not be able to stop by your business and patronize you, but they can still learn. Now more than ever, people are looking for ways to pass the time. They’re more likely to notice, and once you have their attention, you can leave a lasting impression so they will know to patronize you in the future. Remember, humanizing yourself on social media is less about pushing your product and service and more about letting people see the personality and philosophy behind your business. A restaurant owner may do a video on how to make a quick soup out of what’s in the pantry. A landscaper may give tips of what to do with certain weeds. A hairdresser may offer some tips for how to cope until you are able to get into the shop again. Giving is about as human as you can get.
For more guidance on how you can be human in the way you market your business, reach out to Ann’s Social Media & Digital Marketing today by visiting or calling