Ronn Torossian, CEO & Founder, 5WPR 

Working during a time of unpredictability and panic due to the novel coronavirus COVID-19 is not an easy task. Schools, universities and other educational facilities have all closed down, businesses are working from home, many countries have closed their borders, banned larger public gatherings, events have been canceled, and it’s only a matter of time before other establishments are closed down as well. All of these things are going to have a great impact on the economy, and until this period of waiting for this situation to pass, all businesses should be aware of how to properly market their products and services during these times. Having the right approach, tone and content are all fundamentals when it comes to marketing during a global crisis like this one. The key focus of businesses during this time should be on the customers and clients who are spending a majority – if not all – of their time inside their homes, spending most of their time keeping up with the news cycle, local and global developments of the situation. 

As a company or a brand, it’s important to increase credibility with potential and current customers at this time, which can be done through leadership as well as visibility. Additionally, while clients aren’t able to visit retail stores and events during the pandemic, it’s important for businesses to still be able to cater to all of them despite the virus. 

Prioritize Customers and Digital Marketing 

Additionally, as a business owner, it’s important to take advantage of everything that digital marketing has to offer. However, first, and foremost, going through the previously scheduled social media posts and making sure that each one of them matches the tone of the current environment is a must. Aside from those posts, it’s also a great idea to create an in-studio environment, with a good webcam, decent lighting, and a high-quality microphone. That way, any client that needs to get in touch with the business, will do so efficiently and will note that the business does care for both its employees as well as its customers. 

Lead by Example 

An excellent way for a company to show that it cares for its customers – not just their health, but also their needs during this pandemic, is to increase the overall services as well as the customer service. A popular example of this has been Amazon, which stated there has been a surge in online shopping, which meant that customers would have to wait for longer periods of time before they would get their packages. 

To solve this issue, the company announced that it would be hiring more people, both part- and full-time, to work in the fulfillment centers and in the delivery network so that their customers would get everything that they need during this ongoing crisis. Furthermore, to make sure the employees would be safe as well, the company would also implement measures regarding social distancing as well as enhanced cleaning. 

We can see that companies are introducing measures, and a great way to stand out from the crowd is to be innovative, while also taking precautions.

About the Author: Ronn Torossian is the CEO and Founder of 5W Public Relations. 5W PR is a leading digital PR and influencer marketing agency.