With everyone self-isolating and quarantining themselves at home, it can be tough as a business owner to decide whether or not to officially shut down indefinitely or to keep going. As a business ourselves, we encourage you to keep going!
This is a tough time for everyone, but now is actually a good time to look at the silver lining. Yes, all small businesses will feel an impact financially, and yes, unfortunately, some businesses do need to shut down temporarily. But rather than completely shut your business off from the rest of the world, now is the time to reach out to your customers online and promote your company regardless of what’s happening.
Don’t ignore COVID-19, but don’t ignore your customers either! Here are some real benefits to promoting your business and its website even with COVID-19 still ever present.
- Lower costs
Compared to traditional printing methods of advertising and promotion, it’s way less costly to design and post a notice or advertisement on social media or your website. The only expense you’d be looking at is to pay a professional web designer. Even running Facebook ads is not nearly as costly, so long as you have a proper budget in mind.
If you’ve been holding off from running a proper social media campaign, now is a good time. Everyone is relying so much on online shopping and research now more than ever (they need to stay at home, after all). You may find that costs of running promotional campaigns online are exactly what your monthly budget for your business needs right now and going forward!
- Less competition
With so many doors closing for business owners, we’re seeing a shift in the way they’re continuing to promote and serve their customers. Online shopping, contactless delivery, and videos have opened the gates to assisting people who need to stay in shape, receive products to keep their hair clean and styled, get repairs done for their cars and HVAC, get help for their pets and kids, and so on.
You have the ability now to stand above your competition by informing your customers that even if your doors may be closed to in-person contact, or you’ve had to adjust your hours of operation, you’re still there to serve them and online to boot. Meanwhile, perhaps your competitors have no choice but to close completely indefinitely. That alone gives you the edge you may need to continue running your business, and online.
- More room for creative efforts
Maybe you’ve become so accustomed to offering your business in-person that you haven’t been able to implement any other ideas you’ve had meanwhile. Online promotion offers a wide array of extra means of reaching out to customers. By implementing the informative side online and getting your message out to others in multiple ways, such as newsletters, podcasts, videos, and so on, you are in turn creating bigger and better brand awareness for your company.
Maybe you’ve always wanted to start a podcast, but haven’t had the time to get started because the sales part took a much bigger priority. Maybe you have fitness lessons to offer in a way that is unique to your company’s brand but never had time to make a video or webinar. Now that everyone is at home and looking for ways to stay entertained, keep fit, stay healthy (aside from the increased hand washing), and so on, you now have more legroom to pursue creative efforts to stay in touch with your customers…most, if not all of them, being online.
- More people to engage with online
Going back to our last point, people nowadays have no choice except to stay at home for the sake of everyone’s safety and health. That means the only way to communicate with other people, buy products, find information, and help their kids learn and stay entertained also is online.
If you’re not online already, then get on there! All of your customers are probably waiting for your help, whether it’s to deliver them a contactless order or you’re meeting with them for an appointment regarding their physical health and what they can do when they can’t leave their home.
- An opportunity to grow and improve
Some online services you provide now can be a big help to your customers even post COVID-19; even though it’s prevalent right now, it won’t be forever. Online appointments are an excellent means of reaching out to your customers, even before this pandemic took place. Online shopping for your products is an excellent way to make money for your business at a fraction of the cost. And all of the online content options available are the best way to promote your brand and your company’s message right now.
Even when the dust has settled and people can come back outside, you can show the results of your growth and improvement by continuing to offer these services. It will mean, however, that your website and online presence need to be the best they can be right now.
If they’re not…we can help. Give us a call today and start seeing those benefits come to life. It may be the best choice for your business right now.