Blog Post

3 Ways Local Marketing Will Change Following the Health Crisis

Amber Blevins • May 14, 2020

Slowly but surely, businesses are beginning to re-open as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. How will this look for your business?

In a perfect world, things would return to the way they were a few months ago and we could get back to “business as usual.” Unfortunately, that’s just not going to be the case. In some ways, the way we do business will be permanently changed; from the way we handle client meetings to the online options we make available.

Here are three things you should expect to do differently in a post-COVID business world.

Communication

The way local companies communicate with their customers has changed drastically over the past few months. How frequently did you handle client meetings via video conference prior to the health crisis? For many local businesses, the answer is “never” or “rarely.” But during the time of shelter -in-place and social distancing , video calls have become a necessity for many business es.

Going forward, you can expect more consumers to seek out businesses who offer the option of video consultations and meetings. Consumers will likely be wary , in general, of social interaction for some time . Not to mention, video calls are often more convenientthan face-to-face meetings.

How You Can Address This Change

If you’ve been conducting video meetings recently and you’re satisfied with the platform, stick with it. If you don’t like the video application you’re using, make it a priority to find a better fit.

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Online Options

For many local business owners, a website is simply a place to list your address and phone number , reviews, and photos of your work. But as local shops and showrooms were closed, these business es realized their website could serve a much bigger purpose.

Consumers are no longer satisfied with the standard “call us or stop by our showroom” response when they want information . It’s important, especially now, that you give c usto mers a variety of options to interact with your business . Whether it’s by phone, email, online contact form, instant message, video chat, an FAQ page , or all of the above, your website should be a communication hub for your customer.

How You Can Address This Change

Start off by simply ensuring your email address and/or online contact forms are clearly visible on your website . Next, implement toolsthat make online communication more convenient , like online scheduling applications . If you find your customers often ask the same set of questions, develop an FAQ page .

The goal here is to use your website, your social media, and any other online channels to provide your customers with information and make reaching you as easy as possible.

Your Marketing Strategy

As your business reopens and you try to regain some normalcy, you’ll notice things have changed with your customer base. Now it’s time to take a step back and re-evaluate your customers and your marketing strat egy.

Are your customers still interested in the same services? Have their priorities changed with regard to the services you offer? And, especially, has your customer’s budget or financial situation changed?

How You Can Address This Change

Examine your customer base and consider your local community. Are your services still relevant and will they remain relevant in the coming months? For example: If your catering company specializes in large events, it’s unlikely you’ll get much business right now. But if you shift your marketing to target customers with smaller, more intimate events, you ’re likely to attract more business .

Don’t forget to consider the finances of your customer base. I f a large portion of your local population has suffered job loss, buyingpatterns will change. C onsider which of your services may still be a n option for these consumers and adjust your marketing planaccordingly. For example: If your kitchen and bath remodeling firm specializes in complete kitchen makeovers, your services may be outside the budget for many consumers. But if you shift your marketing focus to draw attention to smaller , more affordable servicesyou offer, such as c ountertop resurfacing or cabinet repair, you’re likely to attract more customers.

Make the Best of the Changes

There's no doubt, the business world has changed and will continue to shift in the coming months. This doesn’t have to be a bad thing. The key is to be flexible and remember the rules for marketing aren’t set in stone.

Look at what’s working, what isn’t working, and how your customer base is evolving, then update your marketing plan as needed.

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