As we all know, 2020 was a challenging year for many. Many people lost their jobs, their income, and their will to be game changers. As Entrepreneurs, it is our responsibility to take calculated risks and really embrace the unknown and our fears as we market our products and services. COVID-19 was an example of that. It proved to be a time where we people either stepped into their awesomeness and challenged their fears or they hid behind them. Even though we are excited about the prospect of a vaccine, COVID-19 is still here for a bit. So how should you approach your marketing with COVID-19 in mind? Let me help give you some things to consider.
Use Social Media to your advantage. It has been said that the camera adds 10 pounds, but you should know that this is a myth! As an Entrepreneur, I have overcome the 10lb weight myth and embraced Social Media tools like Stories and Instagram Live to increase my reach, especially during Covid. Did you know that almost 70% of Instagram posts don’t even get seen by your audience due to social algorithms? Since branding is one of my key value propositions for my business, having strong visibility is key in my overall success. I use the stories feature on Instagram to share content because it places that content at the top of my audience’s feed. I also use Instagram Live because Instagram prioritizes lives even over stories. By getting in front of the camera live, I can not only connect with my followers, but I have a greater chance of them seeing my content and hearing my message. With Instagram Live, I create personalized interactions through Q & A’s, fact shares or even live website audits to empower other Entrepreneurs as they build their brands. Instagram Live also offers push notifications so fans on my page who have their notifications turned on will be alerted when I go live. Once I go live, audience members can DM me their questions or comments which makes it feel like my customers are engaging directly with me. By using Social Media for my business, I increase my brand presence, visibility, interaction, and overall value for my clients. In these times, increasing value and having an online presence is key.
Keep communication lines open. It’s a good time to reassure your audience (depending on your business structure) that you are taking precautions to maintain social distancing and support the safety of others. Stay in touch with your customers using webinars, online classes, zoom feedback sessions and all the other technology that is out there. Remember to be genuine, authentic but sensitive in your communication with your audience.
Have you harnessed the power of email during this time? Email is a great marketing tool to connect with your customers. During Covid, more people are spending time online so you can get more impressions and ears on your story when you send emails. Use engaging subject lines and focus on the positive story, inspiration and support your product offers to your consumers. Remember to personalize your email and have fun with it. To keep the story flowing, you could do a drip email campaign where you tell a story or speak to specific points using a series of emails that go out to your audience during a specified period. This will keep you committed to ensuring that you have a series of new thoughts going to your audience throughout any given period.
Digital presence is on the rise. So. what about Ads? Ads can feel like they are scary but they do not have to be. You can create some ads for as little as 2.50 per ad on social media. Search engine ads are powerful at this time as so many people are searching online for things to do, try or even for a level of support during this worldwide crisis. If you can hone in on your actual target audience, like their location and age range and use targeted keywords and phrases that they are using to search for content, Google Ads are a great way to get exposure to your brand in a very targeted fashion.
What are you doing during the pandemic to boost your sales? Whatever it is, we hope that you are being safe, socially conscious, and aware. Remember to be sensitive in your messaging to the needs and concerns of your clients. That type of messaging goes a long way. Need help developing your story? Email us at [email protected]. We would love to chat with you.