Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic everyone has been advised to self quarantine at home, and this has affected businesses in a variety of ways.  Here are some tips on how to strategize to not only keep your business afloat but make it succeed during and after this difficult time to ensure a business comeback.

  1. Take stock of your current resources – You might see less traffic in your customers/patients as everybody is quarantined with the essentials.  This can be stressful, but remember that the now is only temporary, so you need to focus on what you do have to utilize during this time.  
        • Rally the troops – First, don’t forget to keep moral up amongst your current/permanent employees as this is a difficult time for everyone.  If you need to cut pay for the time being, don’t forget to maintain healthy relationships with your employees. Loyal employees are the cornerstone of good business.  Create a plan either individually or on a larger scale, depending upon the size of your business, for your employees to keep them going until things return to a regular rhythm.
        • Catalogue resources and make a service strategy – What materials do you currently have that are vital to your business?  What materials can you currently not get due to the pandemic? Whether you are a retail business, restaurant, or medical practice it is important to take stock of your material assets.  Everyone is going without in some way during this time. It is important to use what you do have effectively while also planning for the time when you can obtain resources that you do not have access to currently.  You may have to postpone certain products or procedures for the time being, but is there something new you can offer with what you do have?
        • Update your website to increase digital footprint – Since the world is advised to self quarantine now would be the perfect time to reboot your business website either in style or in content to create smoother access to products or service during this time.  The world is going digital for safety, so remember that your website is now the face of your business.
        • Utilize the CARES Act – Finally, the CARES Act is opening doors for people who are unemployed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  If you, your employees, or your business are having financial struggles due to the pandemic, and you fit the criteria, consider filling out an application under the CARES Act today.
  1. Keep things going at a safe pace – Keeping yourself, your employees, and your customers safe during this time is of the upmost importance which might lead to big changes in your business.  Just keep in mind, without the health of the people that keep your business going you don’t have a sustainable business.
        • Maintain safety precautions – For the future of your business, encourage self quarantine and a six foot distance between people.  This might mean you have to shut down an office, switch to take out only, or move everything online, which can slow the growth of the business; however, this not only helps end this difficult time sooner but also shows a sustainable mindset and a respect for customers/clients.
        • Accept that safety precautions might change the course of your business and plan accordingly – Preparation for the times ahead is what will get businesses through this hard time.  You may have to change your business strategy, but don’t fight it. Roll with the punches, for adaptability is essential to success.
  1. Stay engaged with loyal customers – In a nutshell, don’t forget the people that built your business.  Do you have loyal customers that you can count on? If you are a retail business, perhaps offering free shipping to returning customers might encourage them to order more in the future.  If you are a restaurant, letting customers know that you will maintain takeout or online orders will keep them engaged. If you are a medical practice, having employees check up on patients and schedule procedures out a couple months would be beneficial.  Whether it is through email, phone call, or text, let your customers know that you are still here and that you still care. This will be essential to your business’s future.
  1. Utilize the burst in social media use – With everyone being at home, social media is booming, so now would be an excellent time to step up your social media game, so to speak.  Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin are just the beginning of the possibilities of social media expansion.
        • Utilize paid campaigns – If there was ever a time to run a paid Instagram or Facebook campaigns, the time is now.  With more people flocking to these apps your engagement on a promoted post could skyrocket. You can do a recommended campaign to target a generalized audience, but if you know your demographic well you can create your own.  Just be sure to use your best and most recent post to receive the full boost.
        • Get creative – Don’t ignore the current situation and instead post about how it is changing your business. Update customers and clients on changes, business safety, and future plans.  You can even give shoutouts to clients by reposting their successful interactions with your business.
        • Post regularly but not too often – It may be tempting to post several times a day, but try to limit yourself to once a day or three times a week.  Over-posting can affect your social channels negatively. For instance, Instagram’s algorithms might group you in with the fake spam accounts or you could overwhelm followers.
  1. Finally, enlist the help of our professional marketing team at NewGen Marketing – We are here to help you with our years of marketing research and strategy during any point in your business journey including a business comeback.  We focus on the follow through of the generated leads to get you not only engagement but repetitive business. We specialize in the following areas.
        • Strategy and Investment – Wise investments in the patient acquisition cycle and advertising platforms that are made by an experienced performance-driven team will ensure a greater return on marketing spend for your business.
        • Analytics – We use analytical insights to launch effective, measurable marketing campaigns across the channels that we know will produce lead generation and sales.
        • Paid Media – Having a diverse media plan led by an experienced performance-driven team who knows where to place proactive investments is crucial to seeing a positive return on your marketing spend.
        • Social – We’ll create effective social media campaigns across multiple platforms that will generate more exposure for your brand. 
        • Remarketing – We’ll implement remarketing programs that help us identify and track consumers who are already viewing your website and products. 
        • Organic/Content – An effective content marketing campaign will boost your organic search rankings, and we’ll use traditional and nontraditional approaches to generate organic engagement and leads.
        • Acquisition Cycle and Call Center – We will execute customer acquisition strategies to identify, recruit and convert quality potential customers into sales.