13 Small Business Marketing Strategies for Business Growth During and After The COVID-19 Crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every industry and changed the way we do things such as shopping, working, and even how we live. Now, more people than ever are working from home and shopping online. There are no social gatherings, thus how we socialize with each other has really changed. Governments around the world are constantly advising people to stay home. This is the new normal, and we’re uncertain about how long it’s going to last.

For businesses, this is a very daunting time. However, it’s time to adopt a new strategic approach to not only stay afloat during the COVID-19 crisis but also after the crisis. Small businesses and large businesses alike are now understanding the importance of being flexible and adapting to the changing economic times. This pandemic has a huge impact on people’s lives and so they’re looking for new and better ways to access what they need without exposing themselves to the risk of contracting the coronavirus. Therefore, there are plenty of online opportunities for businesses.

Turning to a reputable small business marketing agency is the best thing you could do for your business during this pandemic. You need marketing services that will not only help you stay afloat but also thrive during and after this pandemic. In this article, you will discover 13 small business marketing strategies for business growth during and after the COVID-19 crisis.

Why digital marketing is the way to go right now? 

You need marketing to reach your target audience, get leads, and sales in your business. The demand for digital marketing services has become paramount now more than ever since people are stuck at home. There’s no better way to reach potential customers than online. This is why more and more businesses are working with marketing companies to improve their reach and thus ensure business growth.

People at home are using digital media as the primary way to connect with other people, discover businesses, and make purchases. This presents a huge opportunity for businesses. It’s not time for businesses to cut back spending on marketing, instead, it’s time to increase their marketing efforts and even look for better digital marketing strategies.

It’s time for businesses to be smart to thrive through and after this pandemic. Businesses that are not proactive in online marketing right now will have a hard time surviving through this pandemic. Some will even close shop. People are online, where else do you want to find them?

The best thing right now is that digital marketing is cheap since many businesses have cut back on their marketing spending. So, there’s less competition, and since more people are online looking for products, it’s cheaper to convert leads into paying customers than before. Are you taking advantage of that?

Digital marketing provides real-time data on consumer behavior that you can use to your advantage to adjust your online campaigns so that they’re in line with what consumers want. This way, you will spend money and time on marketing tactics that are working for you.

Finally, your digital marketing efforts will drive more leads and sales to your business. Since you’ll be reaching customers where they are, and using real-time data to identify customer behavior, you will provide people with what they want, thus generating more sales. So, consider working with a reputable and professional marketing agency to create and implement the best digital marketing strategy for your business.

Here are 13 small business marketing strategies to implement in your business for growth during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

1. Establish an online presence 

Since people are stuck at home and doing most of their purchases online, businesses need to establish an online presence now more than ever. If your business is not online, you’re missing out especially during this pandemic. People should be able to see your products and make purchases seamlessly.

Governments around the world are urging their people to stay home, and so people want a convenient way to access products that they need. This why online shopping is huge now more than ever. Everyone is turning to digital media to search for products, make purchases, and have them delivered to their homes. People can now shop online for essentials such as groceries, food, and cleaning products. If you have noticed pharmacies are now online and people can shop online for medications.

There’s a whole range of products that you can buy online besides essentials. You can shop for products like electronics, clothes and even books. More and more businesses have embraced selling online. A big brand like Tesla is offering their cars online.

Therefore, regardless of what industry you are in, you need to establish a presence online whether you had to close your physical retail store or not. Bring your products to where people can see them – online! Many small business marketing companies are ready to help you, just choose a partner that’s perfect for you.

2. Use social media

Social media presents a great way for businesses to connect and engage with their customers. This is the best time for you to create business profiles across popular social channels such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. People are spending a lot of time on social platforms, so this is where your business should be. Focus on sharing facts, and other content related to your business to keep your audiences engaged and connected to your business.

3. Embrace email marketing 

Email marketing is a powerful marketing tool and must be included in your marketing strategy. If you have an email list, now is the best time to take your business in front of them. Email marketing is a free tool that will help you stay connected with your customers and even reach more people. You can offer special offers to your repeat customer and remarket to people that haven’t bought from you yet.

4. Video streaming

Video streaming will help you connect with your customers especially if you’re a service-based business that needs to stay in constant contact with your clients to run your business. Many service-based businesses are utilizing live video sessions to provide services to their customers online. For example, fitness instructors, teachers, legal professionals are providing their services online through online video.

5. Utilize PPC ads 

PPC ads are a great marketing tool for getting more paying customers and generating sales during this crisis. These ads will help you quickly reach your target audience and present new products to your customers. This is a quick way to announce to your prospects that your products are online, and they can conveniently access them.

Facebook and Google ads as well as Instagram and YouTube are now more popular than ever, so, there’s no better time to use them to drive leads and sales than now.

6. Offer gift cards and vouchers 

Remember, we’re talking about thriving during and after the coronavirus pandemic. Offering gift cards and vouchers for future use when your business resumes is a great way to keep your business afloat and in front of your customers during this time.

No matter what industry you’re in, you can promote gift cards and vouchers for your business to be used at a later time.

7. Deliver products to customers’ homes 

Although many businesses have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses can safely deliver some of their products to customers’ homes. For instance, restaurants can offer takeout orders or deliver orders to their customers’ homes. Restaurants have become even more creative by offering products like meal kits and online cooking video classes. This will stay on top of their customer’s minds during this time.

8. Utilize SEO 

SEO (search engine optimization) is one of the best marketing services offered for your business. Website and content that are optimized for search engines are more discoverable by potential customers when they are researching online. An experienced digital marketing agency will identify and implement key SEO tactics to ensure your business is discovered in Google.

9. Focus on retargeting

Retargeting or remarketing on people that once visited your site but didn’t complete their purchase can help you present your business again to them. This can prompt them to visit your site again and make a purchase. This is a great way of driving web traffic and getting more product views, which is crucial during this time.

10. Promote items in demand

During this time, items for home use have a huge demand. So, to generate more sales, your focus should be on promoting those items. Also, you should be willing to offer free home delivery to encourage customers to buy from you.

11. Invest in content marketing

Content marketing is crucial in your marketing efforts. Even amid this pandemic, where social distancing has become the new norm, consumers still research products and services online to learn about them before contacting a company. Therefore, to survive and thrive amid this crisis, you need to invest in content marketing by providing content that will educate and engage your customers. Great content will help your business connect with customers and build trust.

12. Be responsive to all your customers

Social media marketing presents great opportunities for engagement with your customers. This can trigger real-time conversation, and regardless of the channel your customers choose, you must be responsive to all of them. This makes them feel valued and they will trust and buy from you.

13. Utilize digital marketing data

Data is very critical to making business decisions now more than ever. Data runs the world! Utilize your Google analytics to get plenty of data and gain more insight. You can discover new growth opportunities, get more insight on how to adjust your online campaigns and budget, and how to stay ahead of the competition.

Conclusion 

The COVID-19 pandemic is making it challenging to run businesses of all sizes. However, you can always find an opportunity in a crisis. Therefore, we put together the above marketing strategies to help you survive through this pandemic and establish a foundation for your business growth even after the pandemic is over. If you need help with a successful digital marketing strategy, be sure to use only one of the best small business marketing companies.

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