Stay visible
It’s critically important that you keep yourself and your business visible. One of the fascinating trends that will explode now is the amount of content and the rate at which we consume it. With many of us working from home now we are relying more on online sources for our information. We are also all looking for information and for answers which means that your content marketing, email marketing and social media will never have had a greater opportunity to reach and help more people.
Communication
We have to keep in touch. Keep in touch with clients, our networks and communities. What can you do to help, add value and support your community through this difficult time? What skills and knowledge do you have that you could share that would benefit them? We are all working in a new world right now, so your expertise is of great value.
Change your content, style and tone
Your content needs to reflect the current situation in the respect that it needs to address the new concerns, challenges and issues your customers are facing. It needs to be empathetic, supportive and offer solutions. Don’t ignore what is happening and how it is affecting your customers. While we all are going about our business, it isn’t “Business as usual” for any of us. Again, think about what you can contribute to help in terms of your expertise, knowledge and experience. .
Develop your online network and relationships
While we can’t physically meet up, we can meet online. This is new for a lot of us, but developing relationships online actually takes your networking up a level. Make connections with others in your own industry to learn about how they are responding and managing the situation. Keep in touch with past clients and new contacts. Keep building your network.
Pick up the phone
I predict that talking on the phone will come back into fashion. Nothing beats a conversation as you get a level of detail you will never get in an email. Phone conversations hold more opportunities as you can answer questions and respond there and then. It’s easier to have an honest open conversation and spot opportunities.
Find an online community and dig in
While this might be really new to some people, or you might have been part of a LinkedIn group or something similar, this is where the networking and referrals will now take place, at least for the time being. There are two opportunities here. The first is to find an online community, either in your own industry or another business community, and join in. The keywords being “join in”. Be proactive. Engage with people. Post comments and useful information. It’s like anything else - you get out of it as much as you put in.
The second opportunity is to take your existing communities, for example your BNI group, and bring it online. Find a platform you are all comfortable with and then start the conversation. It’s vital from a wellbeing and support perspective that we keep in touch.
It goes without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway, we need to support each other to get through this. Whether it’s affecting your business now or you're worried it will have longer term implications, one of the most effective ways we can support each other is to share our knowledge, expertise and experience.
We have created new marketing packages to help businesses through this challenging time and we’ve priced them as keenly as we could to make them as affordable as possible for as many as possible. If you need to replace your networking and events as a marketing channel for your business there is a solution..
