As many businesses across the country continue to be affected by COVID19, it’s paramount to their survival that they double down on their marketing to stay relevant and top of mind. 

The good news is that there are things you can do during this time that can be done at no additional cost if you go about doing these things yourself. 

So, as a business, here is what you can do to keep your business in front of your local community. 

Social Media Is Your Lifeline. Use It Aggressively. 

As cities put in place more restrictive social distancing measures in an effort to do their part to slow the spread of COVID-19, consumers are having to adjust to new ways of working, learning and connecting socially. Our devices have become a priceless outlet to deal with the cabin fever, boredom and lack of social interaction. Although there is no official data out yet as of the day I write this post, chances are very likely that time spent on social media platforms has increased significantly in the past couple of weeks. So instead of waiting for your customers to find you, connect with them where you are surely to find them. 

Here is how you can leverage social media during this time:

1. Post content daily on your business’ social media outlets to communicate with your community.
2. Showcase your services and/or products with engaging videos and photos.
3. Use social media to reassure your customers about your commitment to the safety of your customers and employees (ex. if you’re a restaurant,  post pictures or videos of your team wearing gloves, wearing masks, and a spotlessly clean kitchen.)
4. If you sell products, add products to your Facebook page and enable your page to process payments from your customers. 
5. If you’re a restaurant, make sure that your menu is updated and integrate your business page with a food delivery app.
6. Use this time to get creative with your promos and discounts to try and drive up sales or future reservations or appointments with your business. 
7. Join local Facebook groups to connect and communicate directly with your potential customers. 
8. Make an emotional connection with your community and customers. Share human interest stories. Maybe your team is volunteering to deliver food to seniors. Or your company is making masks for first responders.  

Communicate with your customers using email.

You can use a free email autoresponder like MailChimp to easily create and send emails to your customers about your business. However, this is a great time to be selfless with your marketing efforts and communications. Let your customers know if your business is offering free services or special offers to help your customers during this time.