Boosting Your Business Marketing Strategy Amidst Corona Virus Concerns

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The effects of COVID-19 have painted a new world for business owners across the country along with Black women-owned businesses. Apart from this pandemic revealing how terrible our health care system is, COVID-19 has also created new concerns that affect our everyday lives. Over the past couple of years, Black women entrepreneurs have outdone themselves, according to The 2018 State of Women-Owned Business Report. Black women’s business ownership grew by 164 percent and today they own more than 2 million businesses.

However, this pandemic may stand to negate all their hard work.

Despite this crisis, we can keep this momentum if we take the time to reevaluate how we connect with consumers. New problems require new strategies, and as people shelter in place, non-essential businesses close their physical locations and Americans quarantine across the country, it’s more important, now than ever to explore new marketing strategies. It’s time to connect with consumers on a new and creative level that curbs coronavirus complications.

LaToya Shambo, CEO and founder of Black Girls Digital, a Premium Digital Marketing and Influencer Agency, suggested several marketing tips business owners can use to help their business and reach customers.

Are you an essential or nonessential business?

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It’s important to know which category you fall under or if you stand in the middle. This will help you understand how to market to your consumers. An essential business is an establishment that offers groceries or health or financial support. A nonessential business are entertainment venues like movie theatres and night clubs, athletic facilities and retail stores.

Let your customers know your focus isn’t just your product or service.

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More than three million workers have filed for unemployment, according to the Labor Department because thousands of businesses across the country have closed. At this point, it may seem superficial to advertise nonessential products like makeup or jewelry, when the global death toll for the virus has climbed to more than 43,000.

Apart from this pandemic revealing how terrible our health care system is, COVID-19 has also created new concerns that affect our everyday lives.

“Show consumers you care about what’s going on and let them know you don’t necessarily need them to buy anything,” LaToya said. “My advice would be to acknowledge what’s going on and not necessarily push the agenda of sales.”

The last thing you want your company to be perceived as during this time is tone-deaf. Instead promote your brand by promoting other necessary services through partnerships with important initiatives, like groups that make hand sanitizer or face masks. Show consumers you’re willing to put your nonessential products or services on hold to help them fight against the virus.

Even Uber, a company who receives its income from transporting people, is encouraging users to stay home and to come outside only when it’s absolutely necessary.

Go digital where you can.

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This is for companies who may not have gotten around to partnering with online food delivery or online shipping services. The first step is to figure out which services you can outsource digitally. Then communicate that to your consumers through social media or your website. Many people are sheltering in place so if you can offer customers the opportunity to do business with you safely, examine where you can.

Reach out and show you care.

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For some businesses, all they can offer at this point are words of encouragement. Let customers know you’re there for them through a note of support. “Go to your customer list and tap on their shoulders,” LaToya said. “Keep the community vibe going and show up. This is a time to show social good.”

Strategize like this is the new normal. 

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This is not the time to assume things will just blow over in a week or even a month. Every day, we receive new reports about COVID-19 and it’s hard to pin down how long the economy will be affected. Make changes to any language or content going out to your base. Use rhetoric that reflects that you’re prepared for however long this lasts while keeping a hopeful tone.

Change your focus.

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In your communication with customers, focus on topics like mental health, financial stability, nutritional health, healthy meals and at-home workout plans. The world may have changed but it has not stopped. Try to meet consumers where they’re at emotionally and physically, which is home.

“There’s been an uptake on fitness and at-home fitness,” LaToya said. “Now all of the trainers do lives and that’s a big thing. There are also a lot of challenges going around so try to take advantage of that and host one to get the community engaged.” LaToya also suggests hosting educational webinars. During this time, people are looking to learn, cook at home, stay sane and manage their finances. It’s your job to see where you can fill those gaps.

Although Black women are killing it in the business world, no one is truly safe from the COVID-19 business slowdown. However, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Black Women Business StartUps report, Black women are the only racial group that supersedes their male counterparts when it comes to business ownership. Black women own 59 percent of all Black-owned businesses.

Black women business owners can keep that same energy and survive this pandemic if we think outside of the box and welcome new challenges as opportunities.