The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses has been immense and no one really knows what lies ahead. One thing that you can be sure about is that you cannot afford to go slack with your marketing initiatives despite the economic slowdown. Rather, it is time to invest in actionable tactics that have the potential of turning a downfall into an opportunity. Whether you are just running a brick-and-mortar business or already have a strong online presence, there is a need to go the extra mile with digital marketing.  

Embracing the right approach for keeping your brand alive and kicking today will yield benefits tomorrow. And of course, it will help you survive and get through the crisis as well. What you really need is a plan that is fast to get started with, delivers instant results, does not require you to spend a fortune, and is scalable enough to adapt to the evolving business landscape. Here are the strategies that you can expect to bring success for your business in the COVID era. 

Strategy #1: Move online if you aren’t already there 

If you have been considering a move to the online selling model for some time, there couldn’t be a better time to get started. People are home and spend most of their time online, so being there makes sense. Additionally, you cannot expect much foot traffic ahead because social distancing is here to stay. Obviously, the best way to sell is by having an e-commerce store for showcasing your products, services, and brand. Create one with a great look and feel, easy navigation, and excellent functionalities for secure order and payments. This is a smart investment that will continue to serve value even if you would continue running your brick-and-mortar store after the pandemic. 

Strategy #2: Don’t skimp on content and SEO 

Just having a website is good enough for keeping your business alive but it will not help you thrive. A planned digital marketing campaign with strong content and SEO components is what you will need to capitalize on consumer demand and get a big payoff post-pandemic. Have experts working on churning out great content that keeps the audience hooked on. SEO will ensure thorough visibility for your website, right on the top of search rankings. Apart from engagement and visibility, your campaign should focus on increasing conversions and churning revenue as well.  

Strategy #3: Leverage email marketing  

Another smart tactic that has the power to keep your business ahead is email marketing. These campaigns are highly personalized, which makes them all the more effective right now when people are pining for social interactions. Moreover, they are affordable and require minimal effort if you opt for marketing automation. While basic email outreach with well-written templates work, you can go the extra mile with personalized messages, newsletters, and virtual brochures that drive them to choose your business over the competitors. Work on the tone as you need to create empathic messaging which shows that you care for the customers. 

Strategy #4: Take the big leap with PPC 

If you believe that paid advertising is a frivolous expense you should curb during the pandemic, this is the biggest mistake you can make. Running PPC ads is vital if you want to push sales. Look for a professional ppc management service to get your ads to reach the potential customers quickly and show them that you are back in business. You may even promote your new offerings if you want them to click and buy. One more reason that makes it a good time to have a PPC campaign running is that many companies are actually dialing back their bids. Obviously, you have better chances to win in this situation!  

Strategy #5: Prioritize ad retargeting  

Taking your PPC campaigns one step ahead, this is the best time for retargeting the audiences. This is a good idea because you can direct the ad budget on efforts that are likely to get you quick returns. The visitors you will be targeting with these ads are the ones already interested in your products or services; you just need to give them a reminder to complete the purchase. Retargeting ads make it easy as you can pull them back to your site with incentives like a discount offer or free shipping. There are good chances that you will win them over with lesser effort and spending, which makes sense in such tough times. 

Strategy #6: Promote gifts, coupons, and vouchers 

Although budgets may be tight, you must still offer incentives to the customers to keep the sales going and have them coming back to shop again. Even deferred deals will work, like promoting gift cards that buyers can use when your business resumes. Vouchers surely keep the customers with you, even when you are temporarily closed. While they are an attractive proposition, right now they would be more like an assurance that you will be back soon to serve your customers again.  

Strategy #7: Go the extra mile with virtual technologies  

Now is the right time to use virtual technologies like Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality to empower your online marketing initiatives. For high-ticket items like jewelry and designer clothing, virtual try rooms make a smart implementation for your website if you want to combat the possible sales drop during the pandemic. You may even consider having personalized video consultations to instil confidence in the buyers who would be spending a good deal of money on expensive items. Apart from keeping your sales on track, VR and AR can add value to the shopping experiences delivered by your website. 

Keeping your business thriving during the crisis is not as tough as you may think. All you need to do is just hang on and continue investing in your marketing initiatives just like you would in normal times. Failing to do so may save you some money today but you will land in a bigger problem and recovery will be a challenge once the pandemic is gone.  

 

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