Shannon Mugford
Why You Need To Focus On Life After Covid-19
The coronavirus outbreak, also referred to as the Covid-19 virus, is quickly spreading on a global scale with 3,606,038 cases approximately worldwide, and currently a death toll of 13,003. The UK has 191,000 confirmed cases, and 6,993 people have already lost their lives to the disease (presently). With fresh cases appearing every day, the whole world is preparing for the coronavirus Covid-19 outbreak to last a lot longer than anticipated.
From the recent announcements from the Prime Minister himself, the British public is urged to refrain from non-essential social contact and travelling as the country begins a period of lockdown. Following examples set in China, Italy and Spain, more and more countries are adopting social distancing and self-isolation as a method to reduce the influx of coronavirus cases.
So, where does that leave you? We are all living in turbulent times. With so much uncertainty and panic developing in communities on a global scale, it is crucial that as a business owner, you keep busy and focus on life after the coronavirus Covid-19 outbreak. Because although these daily updates on the matter are spreading panic and negativity across the world, we must remember that there will be an after- and we must also plan for what positive changes your business will encounter in the future too!
Stay Positive
Within all the uncertainty and disruption, it is essential that you find ways to stay calm and positive. While this is a severe illness, it is important to remember that in the UK, there have been 122,347 concluded tests (5th May 2020). The Covid-19 virus must be taken seriously; however, for the vast majority of us, the symptoms of this virus will be mild, and hospitalisation will not be necessary. Keeping calm and optimistic is, therefore, crucial in these difficult circumstances.
One of the best ways to maintain calm is by sticking to a routine as much as you can. Routines offer us a sense of stability and predictability in our lives, and a plan of action never hurt anyone right? By keeping busy mentally and physically, you will put yourself at instant ease. The anxiety may be real right now, but by focusing on what you love to do and what you need to do, your mind can focus on other things.
With more and more people starting to work from home, in an effort to adopt social-distancing into their working life, a good thing to do is to create zones in your home. If you have a particular room in your house zoned as your working environment, you will be able to mentally separate yourself from your time at home and your time at work.
If you were to work where you sleep, for instance, it’s only a matter of time before you gave into the desire to get into your pj’s and hop into bed with your laptop, but we all know that this doesn’t scream productivity! By establishing zones, it’ll help you to focus, as well as reduce the feeling of cabin fever.
Keep Busy
As a business owner, the chances are, your to-do list is chocker, 24/7. But, that doesn’t have to be a bad thing right now! Use your periods of isolation to your advantage; for example, now is the time to really focus on your business’ website. Spend time getting everything up-to-date, and don’t forget to refresh your content for SEO purposes too. That’s right, tick tick tick.
When life does go back to normal, that is your moment to strike back! By ticking off these important tasks, your marketing will be on top of its game. By appealing to a broader audience and enticing in more interest, due to the financial implications of the coronavirus, it will be crucial that an increased proportion of your target market are being converted to loyal customers.
Spice Up Your Social Media
People spend an average of 144 minutes on social media every day; just think how this figure will skyrocket with more of us having to go into isolation! The Government may have told us all to stay away from bars, theatres, attractions and anything that is not a supermarket, in the UK’s attempts to suppress the curve of the coronavirus outbreak, however, the one place that we still have free reign in is the internet.
So, what are you waiting for? Everyone’s thumbs are on fire so your social media accounts should be too. People want their minds taken off the chaos; they want to see funny cat videos, endless amounts of dancing Tik Tok’s, and sure, the odd competition wouldn’t go a miss, especially if it’s a new loungewear set. Your business’ social media feed could be their respite during this harbouring time! Here’s how to get on top of your social media.
The best place to start is by self-evaluating your current social media feed. Does your business have regular posts and content? Do your posts invite your followers to comment, share and interact? Are you only using one platform? If you hesitated before answering any of these questions, or perhaps you even answered no, then you need to up your game! If you answer yes to all three, don’t get complacent because we will be able to recommend a thing or two to do.
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is a crucial part of your marketing strategy. Social media posts can also be seen as your business’ first impression. In most cases, your posts and content are your first interaction with your target audience and their first insight into your brand. It should deliver your brand’s ethos and personality while getting your business noticed. So, enough of those pixelated images because it’s time for high-quality graphics!
During the UK’s period of self-isolation and social distancing, your business has the opportunity to increase the awareness of your brand and to reach out to a wider audience. Regular posts with a consistent tone of voice will get your business noticed. By including entertaining posts amongst informative content, you will spark your target market’s interest and, when life returns to normality, you have a higher chance of enticing in new customers. What we’re trying to say is, by looking cute, within your content and imagery, people will be all for it. Because who doesn’t enjoy cuteness?
Get Writing Emails
Email marketing strategies are another way to fill your days during the country’s lockdown. Email marketing allows your business to keep in conversation with your customers, informing them about your products, relevant topics that they may be interested in, and special offers. You can personalise content and set up automatic responses for when someone subscribes or makes a purchase. This constant conversation encourages these customers to form a soft spot for your brand and to establish a sense of loyalty over time.
With most people holding onto their purse strings during the coronavirus Covid-19 outbreak, you must keep their interest for when they become more financially secure to invest in your products. Use this time to keep reminding them of your business and of your fantastic products for when normality returns.
Remember, email marketing is not always about sell, sell, sell! If your emails take this tone, then they will, more often than not, end up in the dreaded spam box which means all of your hard effort is forgotten about. And, similarly, refrain from bombarding your customers. Instead, set up a regular newsletter and other informative information with which you can entertain your audience. Are you a business in hospitality? Give them some easy at-home recipes to indulge on! Remind them of your products without alerting spam filters and spam traps. This way, they will be up and ready to visit your store when the world has calmed down.
You can also spend time updating your website and refreshing your SEO. Website maintenance is a must; designing and creating your business’ website is only half the job. To create a successful website, you need to carry out weekly health checks and regular updates too. Contact us today on 01606 270513 or through our website for more information on website maintenance, social media and email marketing advice. We’d be happy to offer you any assistance that you may need.
Like you, we are panicked but by keeping our game in tip-shop shape, we have been able to continue supporting businesses through this tough time; whether that’s through free phone consultations or by sliding into our DM’s. Lastly, please stay vigilant on your health; if you begin to show any of the symptoms listed on the NHS website, act now.
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