Marketing Tips Amongst the Unknown Times

With all that's going on in this world with the virus and so many uncertainties and unknowns, I'm here to encourage and share business and just life tips! This will all affect us in some way and impact our lives. It really truly already has. We are all nervous, scared, trying to come up with ways for childcare or to talk to our family in nursing homes, to tell others how much we love them or care for them, and as business owners just trying to stay afloat.

I've received so many emails and even texts about businesses closing due to the virus as well as school and many other places. I have a dental cleaning scheduled tomorrow and they called me today and were rescheduling in June or tentatively when they return. I immediately think about the business owner, the employees, and the community that will all feel the repercussions of this. I never thought I'd be a business owner and even think of these factors with something like this. But let me tell you this is a valley, a storm, a trial set before us and it's how we respond in these moments that matter to our testimonies, our families, our businesses, our employees, our community, and any others watching us.

How are you going to respond? Are you throwing in the towel and giving up or are you going to push through and persevere? I hope it’s the second one dear friend. You have put your heart and soul in this business and already seen some fruits of your labor so let me remind you that you can overcome!

At the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey, actually right after I opened my LLC, I was turned down a LOT! I’d reach out to people I knew and get on consultation calls and talk to person after person and crickets…..nothing! It was a hard time to keep getting shut down, but I knew it was a trial and I had to decide was I going to give up and give up on my business or was I going to push through it and not give up. I decided the later and started seeking GOD more in my business. I was trying to go through all the business decisions and motions on my own strength and not His. Yelp that was the problem! When I decided enough was enough and I knew I needed God’s help and surrendered all of this to Him, that’s when the whole business took a 360! God sent clients my way and even a team!

Let’s push through and do it God’s way. Let Him have control and follow Him through this journey. Your mountain is just on the other side of this valley. Trust in the Lord right now.

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yeah, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness”

Let’s talk a few marketing and business tips before you stop reading!

Here are 8 tips to help you through these times as a business owner:

1. Don’t stop posting, sharing, going LIVE, blogging, or making

*Keep all this up and be consistent. People are waiting for you, watching you, maybe needing some encouragement from you. They also may be wanting to hear what your product or service is all about and if they are stuck inside, they may have some time to look at it more!

2. Use this downtime to be intentional and connect with your ideal customer/client

*This is a perfect time to follow up on emails, direct messages, hot leads, etc.

*Use this time to start an engagement challenge- challenge yourself to go and comment and get to know some ideal target clients/customers. Leave valuable comments on their posts or even respond to their stories. Engage also with your followers on your posts. (never leave a comment hanging!)

3. Get creative

*Try different ways of marketing your products/services example- try a LIVE sale or a new coupon code for giving back to people during this time of economic uncertainties. Even if it’s 10-20%, every little part helps!

*For me. I’ve decided to run a special in my shop and use a coupon code for my followers and customers to get all things 50% for the next two weeks. This is a huge help to them as they may want something to study and something to do while being quarantined for a little while. Let’s learn more about marketing and blogging, shall we?

*Try a new revenue source- maybe you have been on the fence about eBooks or courses or releasing a new product. If you have the means of releasing, then try launching it now. Or if it’s not ready for launch, start working on it now during this time.

*Try something new- maybe you want to try a new social media platform, a new marketing tactic, some new hashtags, etc. Take this time of testing out some new things!

4. Encourage

*Be an encouragement and uplifter during this time to your followers. You never know when one may be having a hard time, a bad day, a bad moment, etc. Be that LIGHT!

5. Be prepared and have a plan

*As a business owner it’s important to have a business resilience plan in place. Steps in place for what you will do if this does impact your business

* A business resilience plan is the ability for you as a business to quickly adapt during a disruption like this virus and continue the business. Be mindful of employees, work at home situations, budget, etc.

6. Check on your clients/customers

*Please don’t get so wrapped up in your own business and what’s going on that you don’t check in on the people who have you in business. Send them a message or give them a quick call and check in on them.

*Let them know you are there for them

7. Up your communication

* Alright, ready? Start communicating even more. Make sure you are keeping everyone in the loop- your employees, your clients/customers, and anyone involved in the business

*Be an encouragement and share your products and services through communicating that on social platforms, email marketing, etc.

8. Get on more Lives and Stories if you have more time at home

* This would be a great way to reach so many people. Did you know there are more people than ever online and on social media because they are quarantined? Talk to them. Connect with them. And share your product/service too!

I hope this can be an encouragement to you all and I just want you to know I’m here for you and I’m praying for all of my small business friends and if there is anything special you’d like me to pray about, send me a message or email me.

I hope this can be encouragement to you all and I just want you to know I’m here for you and I’m praying for all of my small business friends and if there is anything special you’d like me to pray about, send me a message or email me.

Let’s keep going and look back at how far we come once this all passes. Stay healthy my friends!