With our period of social distancing and quarantining exceeding more than a month now, it has become abundantly apparent that small businesses are being hard-hit by the economic impacts of the Coronavirus.  Not only are brick and mortar shops closed, but the financial uncertainties that the future holds have left many would-be consumers putting away their charge cards and seeking to reduce expenditures as much as possible.

As a small business owner, you likely have many questions and concerns.  Can your business legally remain open?  Should your business remain open?  If you can remain open and you decide you should remain open…. will you even make enough money to keep your doors open?

If you are a business owner who is able to stay open and/or can readjust your operating procedures and package and sell your product online, now is the time to harness the powers of social media marketing.

 

Create a Social Media Strategy

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the ability of Google search to rank your business based on a variety of factors.  Needless to say, the more active your brand is online – with a website, social media presence and engagement, the better your SEO rankings.

People are online now more than ever before.  Adults are working from home, kids are attending virtual classrooms and surfing the internet every day.  With this increase in online use, the potential exposure of your brand has grown exponentially.  This is the perfect time to reassess your social media marketing strategy or to create one in the first place! 

Although many people are not spending right now, there are countless others who are.  You may offer a product or service that is currently in high demand.  Getting online and engaging with your audience and selling them on the benefits of your product as compared to your competitors will keep you one step ahead.  There is a real #shoplocal movement going on right now in many urban centers.  Capitalize on this by getting your product online and easily promotable across social media.  Let your customers know you are open for business – even if it is just virtually or contactless pick-up.

 

Start an Email Marketing Campaign

So, you dread entering into the email marketing world.  Don’t worry.  With an effective campaign strategy, building an email subscriber list and connecting with your customers via newsletter can significantly help your business.  Whether you are engaged in B2B or B2C commerce, email marketing campaigns can help build relationships and solidify sales.  Even if your customers are not purchasing right at this moment, establishing a newsletter builds a relationship with them and keeps them informed of what is happening with your business.

 

Paid Social Media Advertisement

Whether you are embarking on a paid Google ad or a paid ad on a social media platform, you need to have well-thought-out goals and objectives.  Likely your marketing budget has shrunk and you need to maximize the return on any investment you make.  Advertising online can be cost-effective (when done right) and will help ensure your brand remains on the customers mind when they decide to make their next purchase.

 

There is no “right” answer for businesses operating during the Coronavirus.  If you are able to stay open and push your marketing on social media, now is the time to capitalize.  Utilize tasteful, thoughtful and engaging posts and images with relevant hashtags.  Engage with your audience and let them know you are still open for business!