Adapt Your Marketing Strategy for Covid-19

With the onset of a global pandemic, the world has entered circumstances we never could have imagined.

Covid-19 as a large bulldozer is an apt image where businesses and the economy is concerned. But whilst our day to day lives have changed, for business, the show must go on — or else risk complete failure. It is undeniable that some businesses won’t be able to thrive during this period. But with creative thinking and a change of tactics, many businesses will be able to adapt and succeed, even during a lockdown.

To help you do this, we have compiled some online and offline marketing ideas. We are also compiling a list of business grants  Australian business can apply for. Matter Solutions is committed to helping Australian businesses and we want to see you succeed – If we are able to help you adapt your business, we will provide you with a 20% bonus on all Digital Marketing Activities and WordPress websites services.

    • Online Marketing Ideas

      In this day and age, many are fortunate enough to have an abundance of technology at our fingertips. Due to it being a primary source of entertainment, the internet is where a large portion of the public will be spending an even more considerable amount of time. From a business perspective, there is no better time to flourish on the web.

    • Make Videos

      Videos are quickly becoming, the most popular form of media. If there was ever a time to put your time and money into a marketing-focused video, it’s now. People facing lockdowns are desperately seeking entertainment.

      Creating a video means people will watch it, and all of it too. The rare opportunity for potentially unlimited consumer attention makes video one of the most lucrative marketing ideas for remote business.

      The essential factor? Make your video enjoyable! But to truly thrive, your video needs to go past interesting.
      Right now, consumers want comfort, humour, and distractions. Base your video topics on that. Make a series of videos linking to one another. Get your viewers hooked and wanting more. A marketing strategy succeeds when it becomes about more than just selling a product – your marketing strategy will succeed when it becomes about forging a substantive connection between your business and your customers.

    • Stream on Social Media

      You don’t need an in-house video production team to make this lockdown marketing idea work for you. Live streaming on social media is an effective way of getting traffic to watch your content.

      You could start by getting the public to ask you questions, and answer them — or vice versa — on a live stream. This Q and A could covertly help you with market research, too. It could make your product into something fun that gets people talking.

      For example, your product is a chocolate bar. “Where is the weirdest place you’ve eaten a chocolate bar?” “Who do you deem worthy enough to share your chocolate bar?” These get people thinking about chocolate, as well as possibly tagging others, too.

    • Online Courses and Classes

      Social distancing measures means stopping just about anything that involves being around others. This physical distancing takes so much away from people. Not only socially, but physically, mentally, and educationally, too.

      If your business requires any face-to-face contact, think about how to convert this into the online sphere. Perhaps you are a music tutor, yoga teacher, personal trainer, or even a school teacher. All of these businesses and professions can take place online. Zoom is already proving a vital resource in this time, as the website designed for conferences and webinars, it has become popular for hosting inclusive shared learning environments.

      It’s not just the educational sectors that will benefit from these marketing ideas in lockdown, either. If your business is a consultancy firm, for example, you can host sessions over Skype and social media.

      We have just turned our Face to Face WordPress training course into an online course. We have taken what people love about our WordPress training and turned it into two half-day sessions.  Think about what training or classes you can run online.

    • Start a Blog 

      For savvy business owners, a business blog was already part of an active marketing channel. Now, it’s proving irreplaceable for enhancing a company’s online visibility and continued growth despite the setbacks of Covid-19.

      A decent blog requires time and effort. Since your outreach will be mostly digital during Coronavirus, use your time and effort wisely. It’s not just about making the blog look pretty either (although it does help). Posting regularly on the blog — daily is best — will keep the site fresh and current.

      However, there is no point in having a blog if you don’t employ relevant marketing strategies. Ensure your blog contains anchor links, conversion rate optimisation strategies and SEO-focused content. Make sure, too, that you have regular features via links on other sites. This backlinking helps build your credibility. It should also make your website more visible and get more people buying your products or services.

    • Social Media 

      During Coronavirus, social media is your stage! Your business will want to implement solid marketing ideas during lockdown to take advantage of these online platforms. Here are some factors to consider:

      • Advertising – Why not consider forking out some cash in order to put out targeted social media adverts? Through consensual cookies and data gathering on your website, potential customers should be able to see ads for your company.
      • Revitalise your Facebook – Instagram is a popular choice for most active social media users. The dominance of Instagram often means Facebook pages often fall into neglect. However, during the pandemic, many people have turned to Facebook for information and a sense of community. Target community values, and keep your FB page accurate, welcoming, and updated.
      • Engage – Use this time to connect and engage with the public over social media. For any of these Covid-19 marketing ideas, the significance of customer engagement cannot be over emphasised. Engagement is vital for remote businesses and businesses that will be facing a lull. Encourage brand visibility by reminding people how they can use your services or buy your products. If they can’t now, keeping your business prevalent should help with the public keeping you in mind in the future.

       

    • Get Connecting 

      Connecting on the leading social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter will be beneficial for your target audience. However, it’s not just about raking customers in, but building up relationships with other businesses, too.

      Get networking on platforms such as LinkedIn. If you are selling a physical product, you may find retailers here. You may even see other companies that you want to collaborate with to make ends meet throughout these worrying days.

      Networking on LinkedIn can help in many ways for all businesses. It could be a way to reach out to other similar businesses and brainstorm ideas. Connecting with others in your field of work could even result in a bigger and better business idea than you intended.

    • Evolve Your Email 

      During the Coronavirus lockdown, email has proven central, for communication and also for remote business marketing ideas. Email is an essential marketing practice that helps keep customers informed and engaged.

      Update your mailing list with what precautions you are taking and how your business is adapting to pandemic life. You can also use email to your business’ marketing advantage by:

      • Sending updates of your availability. If you intend to keep the business running, let customers know what is available to them at this time. If the company is offering delivery or online services, make sure your customers know about it!
      • Expanding your mailing list. Tempt internet users into signing up for your mailing list. Boredom drives people to try all sorts of new things.
      • Creating smart and imaginative email content. Content that is visually captivating, and that makes it easy for readers to buy, can ensure improved conversion rates.

      Here is a great email marketing guide from Backlinko.

    • Get to Know About Affiliate Links 

      Web giants such as Amazon have affiliate links everywhere. It’s an opportunity to make the company money without having to do a lot. What’s not to like about that?

      The ironic thing about affiliate marketing is that it is through promoting other people’s products that you can earn money, which is why working with affiliate sites (such as Amazon) could be beneficial to companies who are struggling due to Covid-19.

      If you manage to successfully encourage a customer to buy a product from your partnered company, then your business will earn a commission. It’s an effective way to make money, but also get some publicity for your website and products that fit with the content.

      As long as you do some background research, there’s no reason an affiliate marketing strategy can’t work for your business.

    • Google My Business (GMB)

      This tool helps you know a shop’s opening and closing time, the location of a restaurant, or a pub phone number.

      How does this fit into marketing? 
      Just like SEO, GMB is extremely important for your business. Not only in terms of where it shows up on a search engine, GMB creates a more reputable image for businesses.with it looking reputable, too.
      The Covid-19 outbreak is a curious time for businesses. Even if people aren’t currently researching your business, you can use this time to polish up for when life returns to normal. One way to do this is by optimising your digital marketing efforts with the GMB tools. The more categories you add to your company, the better.

      To ensure you rank highly on Google, and with customers, it’s essential to include:

      • Appointment booking – Customers want a clear and rapid way to book appointments
      • Messaging – Let the public know how to message you or install an instant chat feature
      • Attributes – This category includes languages spoken, payments accepted, and what products are available
      • Google Q&A’s – Put some FAQ’s on display
      • Reviews – People will often trust other members of the public more than a (biased) business (We have a great way to ask for reviews – Ask us how)

    • Offline Marketing Ideas

      Whilst Digital marketing can be the saviour of your business but it need not stop there. Here are some additional ways to adapt your Covid-19 marketing strategy for offline.

    • No Contact Delivery 

      A lot of companies are beginning to offer a ‘no contact’ delivery. This method allows the delivery and reception of your products with no human-to-human contact. This option will work for those selling physical products, including food and drink.

    • Go Old School 

      People are going to be in the house a lot more now, meaning they’ll probably run to the door even for the post. Why not distribute some leaflets and posters?
      Make your published material enjoyable, and people will be thankful to have something to read at least. It might be worth putting in small print that no leaflets were touched in the making… 🙂

    • So what are some key takeaways? Here are three:

      • Look for new opportunities. Look for new opportunities wherever you can. If your business has been focused or located in one specific country or one geographic area, consider expanding to new territory. If your target audience is suffering, change your offers or find a new audience. If you need to change your company model, don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself.
      • Help those in need. Both consumers and businesses are struggling now, so find a way to help them, with temporary lower prices or new opportunities they can leverage to make it through. Support your local business where possible and purchase online for home delivery,
      • Present an alternative. In difficult times, people will make hard choices about what to cut out of their lives. If you can give them a more cost-efficient alternative to what they’re cutting out, you’ll stand to win big.

      Don’t let Coronavirus scare you business into believing the impending failure of your business is nigh. There are plenty of ways you can adapt your marketing strategy to suit a pandemic planet. If anything, now might be the best time to get marketing!

      Get in touch with us today for help on working out a marketing plan suited to your needs.

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