With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, companies have had to rapidly reconfigure how they do business. Every business (large and small) has been faced with massive challenges, from navigating employee safety and changing work conditions, to the safe delivery of goods and services to customers. Businesses have also been forced to address the process of approaching a fearful customer base who may be compelled to stay home unless absolutely necessary. In the midst of these challenges, all businesses have one common element that is essential to keeping the doors open (either literally or virtually). Whether a company is selling goods or services, is focused on B2B or B2C, is a large corporation or a small Mom-and-Pop shop, sales are vital to keeping every company afloat regardless of a major public health crisis. As this pandemic persists, it is becoming evident that a new “normal” will need to be established. Businesses must now shift from short-term fixes to long-term solutions in order to survive.
So how can your business continue to see sufficient sales during the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic? Since most customers are now staying home (either by choice or by government order) and are reluctant to step foot inside an establishment, the challenge for any business is to stay in front of customers and to remain relevant and necessary. As a result of the circumstances, most customers are now engaged heavily online, either with work or for entertainment, and this means that your business needs to be heavily invested in digital and social media marketing in order to get in front of your customers. The need to focus on digital and social media marketing has never been more important to survival and it will continue to be one of the most important elements in driving sales for businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The coronavirus pandemic is projected to continue for the next one to two years, if not longer. This is not something businesses can ride out for the short-term without fundamentally changing their marketing approach and investing in digital and social media marketing. Here at SN Digital Agency, we have been working for over a decade to help businesses and brands of all sizes create sustainable, flexible digital strategies to meet the needs of our clients regardless of economic challenges. The investment in authentic, goal-focused, results-oriented digital marketing has never been more realized and worthwhile to SN Digital Agency clients than it is today. With our vast experience, we are confident that we can help any business stay afloat–and even thrive–during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tips for Social Media and Digital Marketing During COVID-19
How do you get started? Use our tips below to learn how to leverage your digital and social media marketing strategy during COVID-19. Following these guidelines today will set your business on a track to survive and even grow during these difficult times. It will allow you to step forward with a plan of action to help strengthen your digital presence and utilize digital and social media marketing to keep thriving. If you have questions or need additional support feel free to contact us today. We are here to help you!
Social Media Marketing During COVID-19: Create a Plan of Action
Adapting to the new consumer, one that is fearful and reluctant to go into any establishment to conduct business means fundamentally changing the way business is done. As businesses adapt to the new consumer, it is important to thoughtfully plan out the new way you will be conducting your business. Smart businesses will be focusing heavily on digital marketing and social media, because this is where the audience is right now, and this will be most effective. Your plan of action should include an adjusted customer-service plan and a social media and digital messaging plan, and the final step will be sharing your plan with your customers online.
Create A Customer Service Plan During COVID-19
Customer service is at the core of a successful business, and the way your business interacts with its customers has most likely changed quickly and drastically, so adapt to this change by adjusting your customer service plan. Your customer service plan should include all forms of customer service, from in-person to digital. This period of increased digital interactions offers unique opportunities for ways to further engage and serve your customers online. However, you still need to plan for in-person interactions, such as helping them when issues and questions arise, offering delivery options, or seeing patients one-on-one.
Some ways you can build your customer service during COVID-19 include:
Create a Social Media Messaging Plan During COVID-19
Just as you create a plan of action for your customer service, you should create a plan of action for your social media messaging. What is the message that you want to convey to your customers and audience during this time? Be honest with your customers about what your business is going through. If you are a small business, be open about your struggles and how your community can help. If you are a large business that isn’t quite as affected by the economic decline, be open about the ways you are using your resources now to help those around you. No matter the size of your business, be transparent about what your company values are and how it is proving those values in this trying time. Be candid about why you may be cutting back on hours and services, or adjusting prices. Determine your core message, and then use social media to relay it, ensuring that all the content you produce and publish is in line with that message.
Within your core message, here are some things you can implement into your messaging plan:
Use your social media messaging to convey your plan of action to your customers. Keep in mind that people are experiencing a wide range of emotions and lifestyle transitions. Some of your audience is working from home, others are still going into their job, and still others may be unemployed. People are navigating fear, isolation, loneliness, and boredom, and not all of them will be on the same page at the same time. You know your business’s target audience; address their unique needs in your social media messaging. , recognizing that you are interacting with real people just as you do when they come into your store. This presents yet another unique opportunity for you to let your customers know that you see and understand what they are going through, and that you are taking their needs seriously. Keep your business’s message during this time consistent so that you can build trust with your online community.
Social Media Marketing During COVID-19: Focus on Community
As you implement your plan of action during COVID-19, remember to keep the focus on your community – both your loyal, returning customers, as well as potential new customers. Utilize social media marketing during this time to expand your online community. Your business’s consumer base is spending a lot of time online, and they are a captive audience. Your content should be focused on engaging your consumer base and drawing in new people to your page. Rather than putting the focus on advertising your product or service, which people may not be willing to spend money on yet, promote your brand itself and the benefits your online community can offer people. Show the people that are online looking for connection during this isolating time that your brand is a place where they can find it. Some practical ways you can use social media to build your community are by offering tips and advice, providing your services online, and hosting fun online events or activities.
Building Community On Social Media During COVID-19: Offer Tips and Advice
Engage with your online community and help it to grow by offering relevant tips on your social media pages. People are actively searching for resources to adjust to a new way of life – and as a result, those resources are coming almost exclusively through the internet. Share your best ideas for the ways your customers can continue to live the life they love, even when physically distancing from other people and places. If you establish your online platform as a place that is helpful and encouraging, people will want to keep coming back and also share your content with their friends.
Some ideas for social media posts offering tips and advice:
Along with the tips you share, include a call to action asking people to leave comments with their tips, or photos of themselves putting your advice into practice. This helps give people a fun way to continue to interact with your business from afar, and helpful posts like this are highly shareable – which means your content will be getting on the screens of even more potential customers. While sharing tips won’t lead directly to sales, it will display corporate social responsibility to your consumers, paving the way for customer loyalty, and helping to increase your online community.
Building Community On Social Media During COVID-19: Offer Fun Online Activities
Further increase your engagement and grow your online community by hosting virtual events, giveaways, and more. There’s a lot of fear and negativity in the world and online right now, and chances are your audience is tired of scrolling past articles that scare them. People are looking for connection and relief during this isolating time, so use your social media channels to offer a fun community experience – it will be like a breath of fresh air to your customers.
Some examples of fun online activities:
Be sure to use social media (organic posts and ads) to promote your events, contests, activities, and features and invite people to join in for the next one even if they missed the first activity. They will keep coming back for more once they have experienced the fun connection that your social media channels are offering, and maybe they’ll invite a friend to tune in as well – all of which aids in growing your community.
Building Community On Social Media During COVID-19: Offer Services Online
While you grow your online community in fun and interactive ways, you can also increase your reach by offering your services online. Increased digital marketing may very well stay the new normal, even after the coronavirus pandemic has passed, so seize this opportunity to consider new ways your business can offer its services, and then use social media to let your customers know that they can still access your product or service. Whatever your business might offer, get creative with the ways you can extend it to your customers digitally.
Some practical ways to grow your community by offering your service online:
There are plenty of ways to get creative and stay safe while sharing your services with your valued customers. If you can set these alternatives up during this time, you can continue to use them and grow your business even after the crisis has passed. This COVID-19 pandemic is challenging, but it also presents an opportunity for businesses to be nimble and adaptive. Using your social media and digital presence to adjust the way you do business opens doors for the growth of your community and brand.
Social Media Marketing During COVID-19: Don’t Go It Alone
Shifting your business’s focus to social media and digital strategies can feel daunting, especially if you’ve never done it before. like can help. We have expertise in building and maintaining a strong digital presence, and implementing communication objectives that will address your customer’s needs and deliver the results your business is looking for. We have spent years with our clients working to build strong online communities and social media marketing plans to help them navigate a storm just like this one. Agencies like SN Digital can also devote the necessary time to running your online marketing and social media channels, while you focus on putting out fires in other areas of your business. During a busy time like this, social media marketing experts can help you get the most value out of your marketing costs so that you can focus on your own urgent business tasks.
While this is an uncertain time for businesses, we fully believe that those who use digital and social media marketing to connect with their consumers and grow their communities online will weather this storm. Your business can benefit during this time from using social media to implement a plan of action that includes both a customer service plan and a social media messaging plan. Build an online community that will last by meeting your customers needs and offering a fun and safe online space for them. Using digital marketing to keep your business running as close to normal as possible will help your business be one that reaps the long-term benefits and achieves lasting success when the COVID-19 pandemic is over.
In the meantime, remember that SN Digital Agency is an experienced, results driven ! We understand that many businesses need extra help during this time, and we would love to about partnering with your business to leverage your social media presence for success now and in the future! today!