How to Market Your Business Through Coronavirus Scares

In light of recent events surrounding the spread of Covid-19, many individuals are going to social distancing and self-quarantine. This is a difficult reality to face for many businesses that are surely going to see a slump in the coming weeks, but it’s the responsible thing to do, and we encourage everyone to stay safe. Your health and well-being will always outweigh profits— period. At K2, things are business as usual for many of our clients and us. We have a responsibility to always look for new and creative ways to help businesses generate more leads. Luckily, there are a few things that you can do from the safety of your home to make sure that things feel as normal as possible. Here’s how to market your business through coronavirus scares without falling into the cheap pitfalls.

Use Social Media Responsibly

It can be really easy to try and hop on a trend and ride that wave for more likes, views, and shares. That being said, it’s a pretty see-through grab for attention, and many of your followers will be turned off by it.

Social media, marketing, and sales are ultimately driven by trust. You build trust with your audience, and it gets rewarded with engagement. Don’t shatter this trust by trying to be an opportunist. (What’s the social media equivalent of price gouging?)

Instead, find creative ways to continue to share information and content through social media. Offer your clientele something of value.

An example of this I loved came from the electronic dance music scene. Amid tons of festivals, concerts, and tours getting postponed— fans worldwide were left disappointed that they would not get to see their favorite artists as they had planned.

So what did the artists do? They performed their live sets for free on Instagram and Facebook Live. Incredible.

As a business, you can reach your audience virtually anywhere, so take advantage of the technology and do Q and As, free webinars, or How-To content for your audience.

Use Your Email Lists

Your email marketing lists might be the single most valuable resource that you have for marketing purposes. If you plan on staying open for business, let your email lists to let everyone know that. Additionally, let people know what steps you are taking as a business to provide your customers with the highest level of cleanliness and customer service.

One example I liked came from a local business here in Las Vegas that I had recently visited and had given my email for marketing purposes. In Las Vegas, where so many of our businesses are hospitality-based, it can be difficult to stay open while everyone is social distancing.

The email read:

“To our valued Guests,

We have always been committed to providing a safe environment where friends, family, and loved ones can come together to create unforgettable shared experiences. Our people and our communities are what is most important to us, and your safety remains our top priority.

We understand that you may have questions about what we’re doing in response to recent news. Over the last several weeks, we have been following the guidelines and procedures outlined by the CDC, WHO, and regulatory agencies and taking extra steps to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all Guests. As details continue to evolve, we want to share additional safety measures we have put in place to protect the health and safety of our family, our Guests, and our communities:

• We are conducting regular and frequent disinfecting of high-touch areas in our venues.
• We are supplying hand sanitizers throughout our venues.
• We are providing disinfectant wipes as available to Guests upon request.
• We are reinforcing illness prevention procedures with all Associates as recommended by the medical community, including frequent handwashing, avoiding contact with your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands, and avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
• We are instructing Associates who are exhibiting symptoms of illness to stay home or seek care from a medical provider when necessary…”

In short: We’re open, we’re committed to your health and safety, and this is what we are doing to ensure that we remain open responsibly.

Send out a promotional offer.

In addition to sending out information regarding your business, it would also be wise to use this time to run sales on items that you think your customers would want or could use right now.

Right now, the kids are home from school for a month. Many people are working from home as well, and staying home unless absolutely necessary is recommended. This will probably result in an increase in online sales for many businesses.

Now is probably the right time to offer free shipping, a sitewide sale, or some other online promotion.

In Conclusion…

For many local and small businesses who are worried about taking a hit over the next few weeks, the best thing to do is keep a positive attitude as you continue to put promotional content out. There’s enough misinformation, panic, and uncertainty going around online. Keep your head above it. There’s a way to promote your business right now without falling into the trap of using other people’s fear to boost your sales.

1. Use social media responsibly
2. Give your followers something of value (for free)
3. Use your email network to get the word out that you’re open for business
4. Give your customers a promotional offer to use