With the pandemic, the nation’s political strife and all the other disruptions, 2020 has given business owners ample opportunities to hide under the covers. Many have, and it’s totally understandable — how do you plan for the next quarter, or even the next week, with so many unknowns? There are more questions than answers.

Rather than focus on the unknowns, let’s tackle the knowns. If, back in February, you shelved an ambitious social media campaign for a new product or service, pull that plan out now. It may not be the right time for the launch, but it’s an excellent idea to look at the concept, see how it’s holding up to where business has gone in the last few months, and do any necessary updating. Then you’re a lot more ready to launch when it makes sense.

Let’s back up a bit further. Is your overall market presence sluggish, stale or nonexistent? It’s time to get a handle on that, because your clients (current and potential) are out there looking, listening and doing research. They know all this uncertainty will end sooner or later, and they want to be ready when the doors literally reopen.

Go back to basics to reestablish ties and make first contacts

When the economy goes south, businesses retrench. Often, they cut marketing and public relations first. That usually comes back to haunt them, because that lack of market engagement has many clients and prospects thinking that they’re in trouble — and thus not worthy of engaging.

What smart operators are doing right now is not “hey, come look at our new widgets” campaigns. Rather, they are deploying simple, effective messaging along the lines of “We’re here for you” and “How can we help?” Though it doesn’t necessarily lead to immediate sales, such wraparound service sends the message that you see business as more than a transaction. That kind of relationship sends customer loyalty and appreciation through the roof.

From that engagement, conversations flow. Suddenly everyone’s in the room, brainstorming on ideas and next steps for when things are back to normal. This is where you show how hard your team has been working to keep business as close to normal as possible. Produce a quick video on your safety protocols. Have a webinar that focuses on today’s market trends and how clients can capitalize on them.

We talk about thought leadership a lot. In a good economy, businesses want partners who have a tangible presence in the market and are seen as reliable. In a dark period, such as the one we’re in now, that’s doubly true. Go quiet, and you’ll lose clients. Reach out with positive messaging, and then offer concrete, actionable steps to keep moving ahead, and you’ll have happy, loyal clients and no shortage of prospects for your pipeline.

Want to learn more? We’d love to share some insights. Contact us at: 608-695-6510, or find us on LinkedIn.