Business as unusual

Let's start with the obvious — our businesses and working lives are in the middle of huge disruption.

Not only has our market shrunk almost overnight for many of us, but we also have people for the first time working from home instead of in the office which brings its own challenges and adaptations.

Small businesses and even large brands must figure out a way to survive and communication is key to that survival.

You may feel that this isn't the time to be considering brand perception, your online presence or marketing but economically trying times are a great opportunity for those willing to think their way through the challenges.

If the demand for your services has significantly dropped, chances are that they will be close to previous levels sooner than you think so take this opportunity to best position your business for when circumstances do change.

Reducing your spend on advertising makes perfect sense but investing in keeping your brand’s visibility so you remain ‘top of mind’ is a smart move at this time. Communities and consumers may be locked down but they’re still looking for brands to offer value so customise your content to this situation.

Build brand awareness through social or email marketing with regular branded, value-adding content to keep existing clients and customers updated. This is the time to build trust and provide support so that when peoples confidence returns they’re ready to buy.

Think long-term with strategy. How can you adapt or even pivot to embrace the local and global shift to online? Much of this shift will remain even as things get back to normal. Your website is your primary business tool so consider a full review to ensure its truly reflecting how you'd like your audience to experience your brand. More than ever you need to be reaching your target audiences with clarity and authenticity.

If you would like to have a chat about how we can help then please reach out to us. Even if we simply have a virtual coffee together over Zoom it would be great to connect with you.

Stay safe, look after your loved ones and look after each other. This challenging time has shown more than ever how connected we all are.

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Raz O'Connor