Can’t trade? Why you SHOULD be looking at your marketing.
With 2020 firmly under our belts we have already weathered a large storm in business after last year’s on-and-off, open-or-not-open way of working. To top it off, Brexit has had implications on some of us too. But what should you do to help your business when you can’t trade?
Heading into 2021 we are all hoping for the better days. But while many are battening down the hatches and hoping for the best, let’s discuss why resting on your marketing laurels right now does NOT make sense.
There are some things you can do right now to ensure you are coming out not just surviving, but thriving, once lockdown is over.
If you can’t trade in the outside world right now:
Update your website
If last year hasn’t shown you that you need a sound online arena in which to trade… you are going to struggle. The online space is pretty much the only space for some industries right now. Even those businesses that normally trade face to face are providing training courses for people who are broadening their skills to keep busy during lockdown.
Whether you’re exploring analytics to see what is working and what isn’t, improving your SEO to get found by customers, updating your products/services or opting for a whole new look or feel, this is a great time to get stuck in to making your online shop window work harder for you.
If you’re unsure whether your website is any good, feel free to ask us to scan your website for you. We’ll let you know which areas you need to improve on using our own tried and tested checklists.
Tidying up your digital footprint
When it’s business as usual there isn’t much time for a busy business owner to look at this. But if you are less busy now, why not take a look at what your business looks like online?
How many followers do you have? Are you on all the digital platforms including Google My Business? What are your reviews like and do you have enough of them? Using this time wisely is key! What does your brand say about you?
You could also look at how you appear to your target audience. Do you stand out in front of your competitors and are you communicating your niche well enough?
Now is the time to stand out. The alternative isn’t an option in times like this.
Plan
We perhaps should have started with this one but any good plan is flexible in the current economic climate, so what are your goals for this year?
If you don’t know where to start, think about what you want to achieve, what you project to earn, and what new skills you might need. After 2020 we should all be better at managing any free time we have, so if you are finding there is lots of it now, start building for a better future. Here are some of the areas you could look to improve your online presence.
What marketing areas could I develop when I can’t trade?
- CRO of website
- SEO ( onsite)
- Cart Abandonment emails
- Upsell paths
- Membership site
- Organic social media posting
- Social Media Group Posting
- Networking in targeted online groups (Online Social Media)
- Social Media Personal Selling
- Website Improvements
- Mapping a marketing funnel
- Looking more closely in trends within the stats
- Marketing Research
- Social Media Ads
- PPC (Google Adwords Bing)
- Display Retargeting (following people that have clicked on a website)
- Advertising
- Webinars
- Product Funnel creation
- CRO of marketing campaigns
- Marketing Collateral Design & Print
- Signage
- SMS Marketing
- Email list marketing and nurturing
- SEO (offsite)
- Inbound/ Outbound sales calls
- Discount offers
- One time offers
- Content marketing (Blogs)
- Content marketing (Paid blogs)
- Guest posting
- Payment plans to spread the cost
- Video Marketing
- Business Development improvements
- Autoresponder series
- Survey Funnels
- Quizzes
- Cause Marketing
- Relationship marketing
- Scarcity Marketing
- Review Marketing (Trustpilot etc)
- Referral Marketing
- Viral Marketing
- PR
- Event Marketing
- Direct Marketing (Letters posted / Flyers etc)
- Freebie marketing
- Partnership Marketing
- Community Marketing
- Developing lead magnets
- Online Marketplace Resellers (Amazon, eBay, Etsy etc)
- Influencer Marketing
- Google My Business Development
- Branding
- Case Studies
- Brochures
- Presenter Packs
- Live Video Collaborations
- User Generated Content
- Affiliate System
- Chat bots
- CRM Review
Does it all seem too much?
If all this makes your head hurt, ask us to put together a plan to get started on when the world returns to normal.
Here at DP Marketing Communications we can help you every step of the way. The team offers a full mix of marketing expertise and business growth services so you don’t have to try and do all this yourself.
We even offer a FREE planning session for all (limited slots available).
It is my mission to help small and medium business owners grow their business so contact us today to see how my team can help you maximise your marketing activities making 2021 one of your best years yet!
