In these turbulent times we are all looking for ways to make the most of what we have.
“Where have all my clients gone?” is a heartfelt and too common refrain.
But with some creative thinking you may be able to come up with ideas to repurpose your business offering so that it appeals to the new world.
And adapt your marketing content to promote it to your existing or a fresh audience.
What changes can your business make?
We’ve already seen some great examples of businesses adapting to change, from small gin distilleries making hand sanitisers to John Lewis getting creative by announcing:
“John Lewis is anticipating the feelings of loneliness and isolation customers may start to feel at home by exploring ways to offer its expert services remotely. These could include nursery advice for expectant parents; wellbeing advice; craft and cookery classes provided by expert staff online, or one-to-one calls.”
Here are seven examples of broader thinking that might work for your business:
- Hairdresser – offering online video grooming tips
- Recruiters – recruiting people to work from home / guidance on the do’s and don’ts of remote working
- Customer experience / staff engagement experts – being more proactive than ever to address staff / customer concerns and deal with problems
- Restaurant/ cafe – launching takeaway / home delivery to the doorstep service
- Change specialists – the world will need them as it struggles to get through this crisis and plot a way through its aftermath
- Fitness coach – offering one-to-one training via video
- Travel industry – facilitating insurance claims / communicating with those who are stranded, and even providing online resources to schools for children to use at home (e.g. geography and history of destinations / maths via budgeting for travel).
And for all businesses –– lead a call for good news from your sector or community. This story I wrote this week for one my clients is a great example: Share your good news stories
How can you promote your changing business?
It’s brilliant if your business can ride the wave in its current format, or better still, is perfectly positioned to help people (like the specialist infection and control cleaning company Deep Trauma I saw on the news.)
But if you do need to shift focus, then your website, customer emails and newsletters, social media, advertising and PR will all need to be repurposed to reflect how you can serve your customers in this new world.
Your content might need a simple tweak or a complete overhaul, depending on how far you are moving from your current business model.
To keep your brand front of mind, continue telling your story, put out your social media and showcase your excellence – for example, pump up that award-winner logo sitting proudly on your website.
It makes sense to keep investing in marketing, either working with the content you have already or calling in the professionals to squeeze every penny of value out of your budget.
Above all, be kind, be compassionate and help others where you can. You’ll reap the benefits long after the world is back on track.
