Keeping your brand visible during coronavirus so you can bounce back faster

By 52M Consulting Ltd

23 Mar 2020

One day, we'll all look back on this period with a sigh of relief and turn our attention to getting our businesses back on track. But what if our potential customers (who have been preoccupied with their own concerns in the meantime) have forgotten all about us?

That's the danger of stopping any PR and marketing activity while you attempt to cut costs and conserve cash.

If nobody is spending with you, your instinct is going to be to hunker down and slash spending where you can like everyone else.

The trouble is, while some pruning will be prudent, if you don't continue to invest in at least some effort to stay 'front of mind' with the customer and prospect audiences that matter to you, you risk slipping off the radar which will make it harder to recover later down the line.

Why?

Well, because, as we all know, it's much easier to sell to a 'warm' lead than a totally cold one that's never heard of you before.

There's more than a hint of psychology to this - something known as the 'mere exposure effect'. It's a tendency we all have to develop a preference for something merely due to being familiar with it through repeated exposure. If you keep your brand in front of potential customers, even when they're not in the market to buy from you, you can still build affinity with them. But if you're nowhere to be seen, you can't.

So, if it's important to carry on marketing and promoting your business or brand in the current slump, how do you do that at low cost?

Here are some simple ideas that you can implement without incurring much in the way of spend while you're trying to be more thrift:

1. Get yourself some press coverage

If there's something out-of-the-ordinary you're doing as part of the national effort to combat Coronavirus (such as offering up your empty hotel rooms to key workers like doctors and nurses) or making medical devices, or your staff have formed a volunteer group to deliver groceries to a vulnerable section of society, local journalists will be interested in it.

So tell them your stories. Media mentions are always good, but right now your potential customers are likely to be paying even more attention to the news, so there's an increased likelihood of them seeing you when you feature. But remember, if you're just doing stuff to attract press coverage, people are going to see through it pretty quickly - it's what we call 'purpose-washing'.

2. Engage your audiences by email

Who doesn't already use email marketing to keep in touch with customers and prospects? It's such a low cost way of reaching people in their inboxes that most of us use it in our marketing mix.

You may think that, during a slowdown when you've got nothing to sell because nobody is buying, that you should stop your email marketing but that would be a mistake. Just repurpose it, make it more about touching base, share bits of advice you come across that your customer audience may benefit from knowing (especially government guidance and details of its support packages), and show your actual and potential customers that you're still thinking about them and ways you can add value.

3. Get social online while you're social distancing

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram were all originally conceived of as platforms to make it easier for people to stay connected across divides. So use them for their intended purpose! If we're honest, a lot of the time we actually use social media channels as a one-way means of broadcasting our content, but you can achieve a lot more with them by actually engaging in conversations.

And, right now, a lot of people that are suddenly working from home will be missing the social interaction they'd normally enjoy in the office, so they'll appreciate some friendly dialogue. It's why we're creating a daily group chat on Twitter to encourage some banter, a bit of relief and a sense of community. Follow us @52Mconsulting to join in.

4. Share your audiences

If you're engaging in email marketing and you're on social media, then you have (a) a mailing list and (b) followers. So, why not share these with non-competing, complementary businesses or just businesses run by people you know and like?

No, we're not suggesting you hand over your mailing lists and get yourself into hot water over a GDPR data breach - but you could feature some other businesses in your regular marketing e-shots and introduce them to your audience, whilst also encouraging your social media followers to also follow these other businesses. And if they do the same for you, everyone gets their brand in front of a new audience for no cost at all.

So there you have it. Remember to keep your business and brand visible during the current Coronavirus slowdown so that you can rebound faster when it's passed, and use these low cost approaches to help.

Enjoyed this? Read more from 52M Consulting Ltd

Latest news

1

Plan moves forward for new £13.2m Innovation Hub Councillor Phillippa Williamson and Coun Aidy Riggott

Plan moves forward for new £13.2m Innovation Hub

22 Jan 2025

2

Record turnover as Napthens continues to grow Stephen Faulkner

Record turnover as Napthens continues to grow

22 Jan 2025

3

Ranvir Singh to host Convention of the North 2025 in Preston Ranvir Singh

Ranvir Singh to host Convention of the North 2025 in Preston

22 Jan 2025

4

Lancashire Business Board chairman takes centre stage at Festival of Business Mo Isap

Lancashire Business Board chairman takes centre stage at Festival of Business

21 Jan 2025

5

Early handover success for £1.7m youth centre expansion in Blackpool Representatives from Blackpool Council, Blackpool Boys and Girls Club, Warden Construction and Cassidy and Ashton

Early handover success for £1.7m youth centre expansion in Blackpool

21 Jan 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
The Lancashire Festival of Business
FOB 315
Exhibitions
30 Jan 2025

The Lancashire Festival of Business

Impact Conferencing, Burnley, BB12 6QP

09:30 - 16:00

Skills Bootcamp in Procurement - Cohort 3
Blue-Modern-Land-Travel-Youtube-Thumbnail-2-1024x576.png.png
LBV Hub Awards
14 Jan 2025 - 18 Mar 2025

Skills Bootcamp in Procurement - Cohort 3

Community & Business Partners CIC, Blackburn, BB2 3UA

09:30 - 13:00

North West Holiday Home Show
PLG - NWHHS - Social - Jan 2024.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
18 Jan 2025 - 26 Jan 2025

North West Holiday Home Show

South Lakeland House Showground, Yealand Redmayne, LA5 9RN

09:00 - 14:58

Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work Course - In Person
LBV Hub Webinar
22 Jan 2025 - 22 Jan 2025

Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work Course - In Person

RKMS Group , Blackpool, FY42DP

09:30 - 17:00

January Freelancer Meet-Up and Coworking Day
Freelancer Meet-Up Jan general.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
23 Jan 2025 - 23 Jan 2025

January Freelancer Meet-Up and Coworking Day

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:00

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire
LBV Hub Event Image.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
30 Jan 2025 - 30 Jan 2025

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire

Strawberry Fields Digital Hub, Chorley, PR7 1PS

18:00 - 20:00

February Preston Tech Connection Meet-Up: Tech & Our Planet
PRESTON TECH CONNECTION jan.ai.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
12 Feb 2025 - 12 Feb 2025

February Preston Tech Connection Meet-Up: Tech & Our Planet

Society1 Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 19:30

Police Apprenticeship event
Student Centre Autumn 2022.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Social
12 Feb 2025 - 12 Jan 2025

Police Apprenticeship event

University of Central Lancashire, Foster Social Space , Preston , PR1 2HE

16:00 - 19:00

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
13 Feb 2025 - 13 Feb 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Mytton Fold, Langho, BB6 8AB

11:30 - 14:15

Sub36 Networking - Behind the beans
Sub36 Social1200Atkinsons New
Networking
14 Feb 2025

Sub36 Networking - Behind the beans

Atkinsons Speciality Coffee, Lancaster, LA1 1 EX

09:00 - 11:30

Red Rose Awards 2025
Red Rose Awards 2025
Awards
13 Mar 2025

Red Rose Awards 2025

Winter Gardens Blackpool

18:00 - 11:59

Lancashire Business Day 2025
241122lbvlancashiredaylhp0647web
Networking
27 Nov 2025

Lancashire Business Day 2025

12:00 - 17:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV120 Online Graphic 1
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin