Preparing your Business for Market Revival

Article submitted by Blue Level Sponsor, Keystone Click

If history has taught us anything about the time to talk about all of the addbusiness during a recession, it’s that you on features, but rather talk about how absolutely must keep getting your message safe the vehicle is and how it helps out there. After studying many resources you alleviate stress because it is so including academic journals, independent comfortable. research articles old and new, the recurring message is that you must continue to market yourself in order to maintain or grow during a recession. Let’s talk about the stages of crisis communication as they relate to COVID-19. 3) Messaging should focus on SAFETY and TRUST. Share the safety practices within your organization, including how you are dealing with visitors to your facility. Continue to reinforce Stage 1: Immediate Response. Here trust with your audience. Show up, be a everyone was posting and stating mesresource, create partnerships, help solve sages of support and empathy. “We are in the problem, minimize the hard sales this together!” Brands didn’t sell or push tactics, and most importantly, keep their message, rather we focused on sharyour communication channels open. ing and lending a hand. NOTE: In bad 4) Show empathy. It is okay to share times, brands that held out their hand will your emotions with your customers, it’s be remembered in the consumer’s eye in a another way to connect with them and positive way! show that you are real. Stage 2: Pivot & Adapt. Work From 5) Consider the EXPERIENCE. Since Home is real. Social distancing is real. we’ve all been at home, we want Brands have pivoted. Some have excelled something new. Consider how you and some brands have dropped significantcan expand on the experience that you ly. New offerings are available. Screen time are offering your prospects and clients. (social media, streaming services, etc) have How can you make it memorable and increased significantly. different? Stage 3: Market Revival. We are hope6) Provide options. Even as businesses fully entering this stage now. It is 100% become physically open, not everyone important to understand your customer will be ready to get back to ‘normal.’ and how they want to engage with your Capture their business by continuing business. Habits have changed and level to or expanding on your virtual of comfort in conducting business the old interaction options. way has changed. Here are a handful of best 7) Don’t forget about your new practices to help you get ready for market communication channels. As we’ve revival: all been spending time online, continue 1) Plan for various scenarios. We don’t to maintain your new communication know how long it will be until we are channels. You’ve started to build new back to normal and we don’t know if followings. Make sure this is part of things will go back to where we were your plans going forward. Leverage two weeks ago or two years ago. Map these channels to communicate how out a couple of ‘What If ’ scenarios and you are conducting business. be prepared with how you intend to 8) Continue to re-evaluate your communicate these. messaging. Things are changing 2) Do you need to reposition your brand daily. Make sure the message that and messaging? For example, are you you are putting out is current with the selling luxury vehicles? Now is not changes happening in our world. At a

President and Owner, Lori J Highby

minimum, evaluate your message on a weekly basis. In addition, rethink some of the language that you are using. Stop using terms such as uncertain, unsure, unparalleled, unprecedented. Everyone is using this language. Find new terms to express your sentiment. 9) Stretch your creativity. As everyone is opening back up again, you’ll want to make sure your message stands out. Get creative in how you are letting the world know that you are open for business.

Consider an event to celebrate that you are back. The most important aspect is to continue to communicate with your audience. Let your customers know how you are conducting business and what they can expect when working with you. Keystone Click is a strategic digital marketing agency. Our research and collected insights help our clients to make the right decisions related to marketing and promoting their business online. Visit keystoneclick.com/profits to download or sign up for our snail mailed Guide to Profits.