Coronavirus or Not, Your Marketing Basics Still Work

After losing the final major battle of the Revolutionary War, surrendering British soldiers played a tune called ‘The World Turned Upside Down.’ Their world did seem to have taken a crazy turn. A group of ragtag rebels had defeated the world’s foremost military power. With all the changes we’ve experienced in the last few months, it’s not surprising that more than a few small business owners may be feeling like those beleaguered soldiers. That isn’t the case. While some things may very well be different, it doesn’t mean that marketing rules don’t still work. 

You still need to evaluate and adjust. If what you were doing before was working, there’s no reason not to keep doing it. As always, if something is working, try to figure out why it’s working. Did you just get lucky or is your success the result of a great process and strong fundamentals?  If it’s the latter, then chances are that it’s sustainable, even in these uncertain times. If you haven’t been as successful as you’d like, find out why and make adjustments. 

If you’re doing content marketing, you need to continue to provide great and relevant content. You still need to tell people a good story. Explain how you are different than your competition. What can you do that others can’t? Highlight those differences. Emphasize that you have the solutions to your customer’s problems and that even in these times, you’re still going to be there for them. Plenty of businesses have survived turbulent, even unprecedented, times. Telling a great story and providing products and services that solve their client’s problems are some of the important reasons why they’re still around.

You still need to be where the people are. Know who you’re marketing to and make sure that you’re promoting your brand in locations they frequent. The locations where these people are may have changed, but the basics still stand. For example, if you know that your ideal customers frequent a certain set of websites or blogs, then they’ll still be there, even with a pandemic on the loose. Now if you’ve primarily used traditional advertising such as billboards or relied on foot traffic, then you’ll have to make some adjustments. In that case, now is the perfect time to expand your online presence or to alter your business model. Instead of waiting on customers to come to you, why not find ways for you to come to them? As always, it’s not really the product you sell, but the value you provide that sets you apart. 

Yes, things are a little different these days, but people haven’t really changed. If you have strong marketing fundamentals, you’ll be able to successfully weather any storm. The British Empire may have been turned upside down years ago, but it doesn’t mean your empire has to be.