Here in Massachusetts, everyone is anxiously awaiting Governor Baker’s briefing today where he will announce the beginning of a reopening plan. My friends in Florida have already started reopening. But what are we reopening to, exactly?
A new abnormal
What businesses and non-profits need to realize is that we are not reopening to the world we left before the shutdowns. The pandemic is still going on. The virus still exists.
Anxiety and fear are everywhere. Business owners don’t know if their organization will survive the economic and social upheaval. Employees are not only wondering if there is still a job for them, but they are fearful about bringing the virus back to their families if their workplaces are not protected. Visitors who frequent businesses and non-profits are still fearful of being back out amongst the world again.
The show must go on
We all want to reopen as quickly and safely as possible. And most organizations will NOT be happy with the plan that is released. It will be slower than 95% of you want it to be. That may be the only thing of which I am certain.
Every state and every town will have its guidelines and directives. They are enacted as a way to open effectively and safely so that further outbreaks do not occur, and we can hopefully not have further shutdowns.
I think we can all agree that none of us want to have another shutdown. We will all need to pack our patience and concentrate on doing what needs to be done to get our businesses open.
The harsh reality
It will NOT be a normal business year. There will be losses. They will most likely be very significant. The estimate is somewhere between 30 to 40% of businesses will not survive. Through no fault of the owner. It’s maddening and it’s heartbreaking, but it is the reality.
A return to local
Buying local has been a growing theme throughout the country for several years as behemoth companies like Amazon have caused Mom & Pop stores to shutter. I truly believe you will see a resurgence of local, as people realize that their local community, their friends and family, and their neighbors, need their help to survive and come back from this shutdown.
The key to that will be a planned approach to marketing. Organizations need to utilize EVERY SINGLE engagement tool in the marketing toolbox in order to stay front and center of their local clientele.
People need to be reminded constantly about you, your business, and how you can help them even in normal times. During this time it will be imperative to stay front and center reminding people that you are open and that your business needs them in order to survive. If they like your business and want you to be around for years to come, they need to support you – buy, donate, or use your services – and to tell others.
Marketing, marketing, marketing
And by marketing we mean to engage, engage, engage your clientele! This is no time to be shy. It is a four-alarm, all-hands-on-deck, grab another coffee and get out there. You don’t need to spend a ton of money, but you DO need to spend some money, and you do need to invest a fair amount of time and effort to utilize the tools available.
Social Media Platforms – free for an account, the only cost is for advertising. Which platform depends on your business, but Facebook has the most
people so at a minimum use that. It allows for the info to get to your followers immediately and it’s an easy way for those people to share with others. Also, join groups where lots of people on Cape Cod follow, such as Cape Cod Townies, Best of Dennis, Cape Cod Small Business, and many others.
EMAIL Marketing (as little as $20 a month for Constant Contact the gold standard in email marketing). If people have signed up, they WANT to hear from you. Send an email at least once a month. In this situation, I would suggest even more frequently depending on your type of business. It doesn’t need to be fancy, and keep it short. To sign up for a FREE trial, click here.
Press Releases – Enlist the help of a marketing expert to draft and send press releases for newsworthy items. Reopening, business and non-profit collaborations, donating or discounting goods and services to front line employees, etc. Local media WANT to help keep businesses and non-profits profitable, they want your advertising dollars down the road.
Advertise – if you have the money – advertise in traditional media such as print, radio and cable, and digital marketing.
Look for collaborations
The adage that two heads are better than one applies here. People LOVE to see businesses collaborate or businesses and non-profits collaborate. People love to be able to feel really good about not only supporting local businesses but also doing good.
Remain Top of Mind
Why is this so vital? You need to stay at top of mind. People want to help their local businesses and organizations. If one restaurant within 5 miles is posting specials and info on FB and sending out emails, has a sign out at the road with their phone number and curbside pick and delivery, but another restaurant doesn’t, who do you think they will go to? You need to tell people!
It’s the same for a non-profit business. If one NP is posting regularly to FB and letting people know how they can stay connected and how they can help, and the other isn’t, then where do you think the donations will end up?
Bottom Line
This is not going to be easy. You will need to work at least twice as hard and you will have probably 25 to 50% of the revenue you normally get. But it is what you will need to survive. And that, folks, is where we are. We are in survival mode.
As always, we are here to help in any way we can. Please follow us on Facebook, follow our blog, and reach out via social comments, email, or our Contact Form on this website with questions. We may not have all the answers, but we probably know the people who can help!