Normally, I talk about utilizing plenty of “evergreen” content to populate your business blog from week to week. However, times have changed and you will want to use your blog to keep your customers updated on what’s happening with your company during these unusual times.
Mixed Messages
A good blog will always be a healthy mix of news, current events, company updates, client engagement and, yes, some evergreen informational content. These days, the balance is shifting more toward the news and current events related to COVID-19 and how it is affecting your business.
Pretty much every business in the world is being affected by the coronavirus in some ways. In most cases, it has been a huge disruption—physically, emotionally and financially. Even as the economies start to open back up in the summer months of 2020, we’re still far from out of the woods. There is still so much we don’t know about what will happen the rest of this year—and beyond.
Time to Adapt
No matter what, any business that is reopening or any essential business that has been able to stay open this entire time is having to change a lot about how they operate. Face masks, social distancing, limited customers in a given space, non-essential goods that aren’t selling, services that can’t be provided, etc.—it’s going to be a major adjustment period for all businesses and their customers. Nothing will be normal anytime soon.
This is a great opportunity to use your blog, your social media and your other marketing resources. A lot of us have been watching more television than normal and I’m sure you’ve noticed the obvious tonal changes in commercials. Advertisers are changing their messages because they have to adapt to a changing culture—even if it’s just a temporary shift until this all blows over.
Refining Your Current Marketing Message
What is your business doing to protect its customers and staff? What new products and services are you offering during this time? How are your services being forced to change? Let your customers know through your marketing resources. Keep them up-to-date, educated and informed. People want helpful information right now and they want to feel safe and assured. Keeping them updated and providing helpful information will keep them engaged and help you build more brand loyalty. Your business may not be doing as well for awhile, but you can build equity over time by building trust with your customers.
Nothing is going to be easy about running a business in the COVID-19 economy, but it’s the reality we are all facing for the foreseeable future. You must adapt. You must change your marketing message. The good news is your blog, social media and other content will be a great way to communicate what’s happening with your business and relate it to issues that your customers care about most.
NextGear Marketing 