The World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus as a pandemic. Several state officials announced lockdowns of places where people come in contact. Places of worship (pilgrims), archaeological sites, malls, schools, and offices to shut down operations for safety purposes. In this blog you will learn tips for business to combat coronavirus crisis with digital marketing.
With the falling economy, it has become challenging for businesses to survive, especially when not operating from an office. Although many offices have aided employees to work from home, they isolate themselves from infection.
The pandemic has caused over 5,000 lives and infected 2 lakhs of people across the world. In fact, the number is yet to rise as per the recent reports. Therefore, the federal government is continuously taking measures to protect the lives of citizens and stabilize the country’s economy.
Source: Vox.com
During this time it’s important for businesses to support the federal government decision by taking precautionary measures to enjoy shutting down offices, keeping nearby areas sanitized, etc.
But what will happen to the business if they stop operations? How businesses will keep healthy relationships with customers or clients in the crisis like widespread COVID-19?
Despite the pandemic, this is the time where companies must invest in innovation to serve customer needs. Your business has been always important, even at the time of lockdown. Here is what you can achieve to innovate, invest, and sustain your business with digital.
5 Tips Business Must Respond To Action During LockDown With Digital
Here is the 2020 coronavirus combat plan for business must follow
- Review Your Business Online Strategy
The impact of coronavirus forced most of the companies that confronted it to shut down. Many giant Indian companies from the diverse sector including food, Fintech, and travel witnessed a slowdown. In the gig economy, flight booking, hotel traveling, education are experiencing a drop in demand. So, by doing SEO for hotel, flights and travel industry will help in increasing their businesses.
As the storefront has shut down operations, the business owners must shift their sales strategy to online. For instance, in Wuhan, China companies like Lin Qingxuan closed 40% of its stores while increasing online beauty advisor to digital platforms (Harvard Business Review). Because the activity achieved 200% growth compared to the previous year’s sales.
Thus, do not let your business impact the lockdown. Find an alternative to stabilize your business sales through online marketing strategy. Increase your online sales or if you do not have the facilities, then guide yourself to the process, reach a potential audience through online leads.
2. Target Local Audience to Promote Online Business
Google is to support business guides with better insight into local marketing. The initiatives started by appealing businesses to update their My Google Business Profile (Search Engine Journal) with accurate information.
The update includes information like a change of business hours, business description, publish a post, and update contact info. The business can inform customers about the precautionary measure taken during the crisis time. The exercise will apprise customers to use the services with the business who is taking precautionary measures.
On the other side, if you do not have a local presence, then this is the right time to take the action. Many restrictions to shut down operations coerce. In the situation, restoration can still operate home delivery service through local SEO marketing.
Thus, local data accuracy becomes vital for a business to update and let customers reach them during the pandemic by knocking customers what actions they are taking.
3. Curate and Sell Online Content
When people restrain to isolation – social media is taking the front seat. Consequently, the demand for online content offers opportunities for businesses to capitalize on these opportunities proactively. The pandemic impacts an increase in demand for online content.
Online content is distinguished as video, blog, white papers, etc. A business should invest in the content supply to engage, attract, and monetize customers. Renowned brands like NBCUniversal announced making movies available on rental online (Forbes).
With growing digital series trend brands like Netflix and YouTube are investing in expanding their business considering reaching a mass audience isolated at their home.
4. Engage Customer Via Social Media Campaign
Going viral is growing immense popularity for social media. With news of coronavirus, widespread people are active on social media to view the buzz. The impact of the pandemic is massive and immune to social media.
Businesses struggling to keep a multitude of departments operating must shift to social media. For example, businesses shall invest more in social media marketing than traditional approaches. Similarly, customer care departments can stay at home to connect with the audience via social media to offer service.
During this time, try to build a sense of community with the target audience through diverse challenges.
5. Innovate Product & Services Digital
Evaluate the possibility to grow your business digitally. Assess and determine the potential to expand your business reach through digital marketing strategies and service. Cancellation of events, lectures, classes a few examples of business impact with Coronavirus at a huge scale. Moreover, cancellation of events affects the travel and hospitality industry. The impact lingers on industries for upcoming years.
Amid the events, there is unrest for business internal and external services. Therefore, seeking the capability to sustain business services; the business must incorporate marketing and communication strategies online to reach the audience.
It is impossible to expect harm to your business. During the event, assemble a crisis management action plan. The team should include PR and executive members to interact with the media. CIOs, in particular, should immediately find an alternate delivery model for creating digital workplaces and upgrading to digital technologies to serve customer demand.
An hour to Bust the Myth
This is the time for businesses to innovate to serve customer needs. Additionally, surpass momentum of crisis in the coming months. There is no expectation of the volume of customers going online to find answers. Thus, it is imperative for business owners to go digital in the coming weeks for profit maximization.
We cannot stress business online presence during the lockdown more. You should facilitate the above 5 tips in response to combat coronavirus lockdown.