Now Is Not The Time To Stop Marketing and Advertising

​When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Cliché? Yes. But it's a cliché with renewed meaning under the current situation of quarantines and business closings.

When the Going Gets Tough 
Do quarantines and closed store front businesses mean everything comes to a stop? Do you just stop marketing your company until everything goes back to normal, whatever normal will be? Or do you intensify your efforts? Your clients and potential clients are still out there, and they need to hear from you.

The Tough Get Going 
The tough in today's market are those who refuse to stop operating because some of the rules have -- at least temporarily -- changed. The tough continue use online advertising and strategically use local seo to attract viewers to their website and any social media platforms they use.

Losing Visibility Means Losing Clients 
Who are your partners? That is, who do you collaborate with in a business sense? Do you make and receive referrals? Do you use supply chains of independent companies that supply you with goods or services for your clients, and vice versa? Now is the time to reach out to these partners. Communicate with them and collaborate in a new way by promoting each other's online business advertising.
 
A Nielsen report states that 80% of customers rely on word of mouth recommendations before making a purchase. Word of mouth today has become word of Google. By beefing up your local seo, you can move up the search scale and become more recognized and recognizable.


Quick Tips to Gain New and Keep Current Clients 
Businesses that maintain their current level of marketing have a better chance of keeping current clients informed and reaching prospective clients now and an exponentially better chance of improving ranking once the economy picks back up. Three tips for keeping and gaining clients are the following:

• Continue to run online ads. Unless your business has been closed and you’re not allowed to service customers, you should maintain or even increase your Google Ads or Facebook advertising campaigns. Like you, your competitors are scared. Unlike you, they are shutting off all marketing efforts trying to save a dime. This gives you the perfect opportunity to move up in rankings with your ads and Google My Business and be the one your prospects find the minute they need your service.

• Contact your current clients directly by phone and see how they are getting along and if there is anything you can do to make their life easier. You can also ask them if they know anyone who would benefit from what you do. If they do, try to set up a virtual introduction.

• Look at client purchasing trends. You might think this is something businesses do as a matter of course. But small businesses may just not have the time to do it right. The good news is they probably do have the time now. You may need to do a little online research for where specific client purchasing trends are available. But again, you probably have the time, and that time is a business expense.

• Start writing. You usually don’t have time for this exercise, but you can’t use that excuse now. Think about your business, focus attention on your low hanging fruit – what service do you offer that takes the least amount of time and brings in the biggest profit? Write a few blog posts about it.

 
In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity. Einstein said that. Well, you're probably in the middle of a difficulty with your business. Like many if not most businesses you, too, are having to find new ways to stay relevant. Now can be the best time to reach out to current and past clients and cultivate new ones through online advertising. The opportunities abound with platforms like Zoom and Facebook watch parties. Truly, the only limitations are in your mind.