Small Businesses are suffering on a global scale. We are all trying to stay afloat during the largest global pandemic in our lifetimes. Ironically, we are seeing businesses get through a COVID era as they have found new and creative ways to market and connect with their communities. Here are the 4cs of Marketing in a COVID ERA.
Converge your local business presence with a digital presence is the 1st of 4cs of Marketing in a COVID Era. Build your strategy by breaking down each digital marketing channel. The basic channels are Direct, Organic, Social Media, Display Advertising, Paid Search and Paid Social.
Grow your organic traffic through local search engines like Google. Build your organic presence and capture the attention of people who have the intent to buy your product or service. You undoubtedly have found some down time to build our online presence. Learn the basics of SEO from thought leaders and SEO experts on the web.
Connect with your local community through online channels. A step further even, connect with your peers and other businesses that align with your brand and your values. This is more difficult for some than it is for others. If you are naturally an introvert, try commenting on someone’s post on LinkedIn for starter. Stay consistent with that until you start to build relationships.
Monitor current events and local news. During difficult times, people are always paying attention. Find a way to connect with your community in a positive way just like Henry Adaso – Henry put together some small webinars to help them with marketing. All small business owners are looking for solutions right now. If you have an expertise in something that can help them, you surely have a business.
“Pay attention to your brand posture. This is a great opportunity to show compassion and build goodwill with your customers, employees and vendors. Years from now, the leaders of every organization will look back at how they responded to this crisis and one of two things will occur: they will either be proud they showed up and stepped up, or wonder if they could have done more to help.”
-Henry Adaso
Create social media content. Don’t hold back. Just be sure to stay in line with your brand and don’t share anything that could hurt your brand’s reputation. It is best to stay focused on educational content. If your content is actionable and helpful, people who want to learn will be grateful and connect with it.
Create content that engages your audience. Address a pain point and a need. Give away free advice and show that the cause for your brand is just as important as the cashflow.
Curate amazing content, whether this content is found in an industry trade journal or even your own previous blogs, find content that fits well together and write about it. Find new ways to present concepts and inspire your readers.
In a Covid 19 world, just remember the 4 Cs – Converge, Connect, Create, Curate. There are plenty of ways to stay connected with your audience remotely. Sometimes it can be difficult to change your frame of mind and take chances. On the same token, small businesses have no other choice. The cheese has been moved and to survive, your small business must move with it.
