By: Lisa Kanda, Elkay Advisor LLC Consultant to the NJSBDC at Brookdale Community College
Is the pandemic impacting your company’s visibility? Don’t know how to stay noticeable during this trying time. You are not alone, as many businesses are figuring out how to navigate these times. One of the most important things is not to withdraw and go quiet. While many factors may influence you right now, staying visible to your customers, employees, colleagues, and the public is essential to sustaining your business in the long run.
On October 29, 2012, Superstorm Sandy slammed into the Northeastern United States, leaving destruction and devastation in its path. For two years following this disaster, I worked with hundreds of businesses to help them rebuild. While a global pandemic’s current situation reaches all of us, there are many lessons learned from this disaster that will benefit businesses right now.
What businesses learned then and still relevant today is you cannot stick your head in the sand and wait for this to blow over. Now is the time to step up your game and get visible. Since “in-person” marketing and communications are limited during COVID-19, your marketing strategy needs to focus on digital tools and tactics by using communication, engagement, and connection with your customers, clients, and target markets.
Now is not the time to hide behind a corporate entity or brand name or logo. It is vital that you’re authentic and sharing your current situation. What is your plan? You don’t have to hide the fact that this is difficult. You need to have empathy for other people and yourself, and that message needs to be included across all digital formats.
The model I use with my clients to help them create consistent visibility online is called the Business Success Trifecta. It focuses on your digital strategy’s three major areas from where you have the most to least control over your message and online presence: website, email marketing, and social media.