Wow, what a smack in the gob this current situation has been. And it’s not nearly over yet.

Unless yours is a service business deliverable online (and perhaps even then), you’ve most likely seen a significant drop in activity and probably have some spare time on your hands. Make sure you use it wisely!

Let’s look at this under two headings.

Coronavirus Marketing : Long-Term Strategic Stuff

This is a great opportunity for you to reflect strategically on your business.

Now, let’s face it, on reading the word “strategic”, your eyes probably glaze over. Your brain fills up with trepidation when it comes to big thinking, big projects and big planning for times ahead. That’s a natural reaction we all suffer from.

You’d prefer to watch YouTube videos of cats playing with wool.

No! Do not hit that link.

Instead, what you need to do is break down seemingly insurmountable tasks into more manageable parts and allocate perhaps one or max two hours per day, every day, to tackling them. At the end of a week or two or three, you’ll be delighted you have done so and will be armed with direction and purpose for when we ride out of this mess.

And don’t worry – like everything else, this too will pass.

We’re talking here about updating your Marketing Plan, or writing your first.

We’re talking about pruning or adding to your product range.

We’re talking about reflecting upon and making any necessary changes to your distribution system, the channel partners you use and how to get your business selling online, if it isn’t yet.

We’re talking about vital market research into trends and competitor practices, market segment profiling, running some customer feedback surveys, etc.

Coronavirus Marketing : Short-Term Practical Stuff

Clearly, your main focus needs to be on maintaining some level of turnover. Between implementing social distancing that permits you to keep on working, making phone calls, sending emails, driving social media engagement, or moving meetings online using a tool like Zoom, you can probably manage something in that regard.

Stay connected – avoid disappearing down a rabbit hole.

If you aren’t already, then go sell on your own website, Etsy, Shopify, Eventbrite, Facebook or any other platform that can generate revenue for you.

But you’ll still have plenty time left over.

Get to fixing your email list, clearing out inactive subscribers who never engage with your campaigns. Apart from good housekeeping, that will keep you in the good books with GDPR.

While you’re at it, go design your next newsletter, so it’s already done when you feel it’s time to send it out. I use Mailchimp.

Refresh your visual library, by producing new videos that tell your story and shooting new marketing focused photographs.

Cast an eye over your content marketing. Are you happy with what your webpages say about your business? Is the tone just right? Is your content correctly reflecting your core branding message?

Review the SEO credentials of your website. Are you correctly using focus keywords that match what people are searching for? My website is built on WordPress, with SEO plugin by Yoast.

Have you learned how to use Facebook advertising or indeed Google Ads? Now might be the time to plonk yourself in front of a computer screen (again, in small doses), grab 73 coffees and visit YouTube to learn how to create adverts on both these platforms. Or sign up to online training about them. Always check what courses your local LEO is offering.

Coronavirus Marketing Takeaway

Yes, we can feel down in the dumps because of what’s happening in the world and, yes, the health of yourself, your family and the wider community is the most important thing.

But there is an opportunity here for your business. You have suddenly been given time to ‘reboot’ – time you did not expect to have. Get busy, sorting out daily tasks and working on longer-term strategic improvements.

In these strange times, the very best of luck to you all.

And, to repeat, this too will pass.

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