The business world is in a time of crisis right now. We’re teetering on the edge of a recession (or we’re already in it, depending on who you ask). This means if you run a business, your stress levels may be high and your mind may be working overtime trying to figure out how to stay afloat.
The good news is that with just a bit of hard work, you can keep your business going—and maybe even improve—during this time of stress. And you don’t need to go buying or downloading anything new. It’s likely that the tool that could save you is something you’re already using—social media.
Here’s how social media marketing can help your business stay afloat in this time of crisis. You can’t afford to neglect this avenue of customer interaction!
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It’s A Great Way To Add Value:
How do you keep serving your customers when they’re pinching pennies and not spending money on your products or services? You could back off and wait until they can afford you again. But I can guarantee you that putting in the effort to keep serving your customers in tough times will pay off in a big way when things smooth out again.
Your products and services are not the only way you can bring something valuable to your customers’ lives. Whatever niche you’re in, there’s always a way to add more value to your customers’ experience—and social media is the perfect way to share that.
So what exactly do you share for extra value? Sharing a meme or two here and there can be funny if it’s relevant to what you do. But you need to take the extra step. Share things like:
- How-to’s
- Tips and tricks
- Tutorials
- Links to your blog posts
- New information in the niche
- New research in your industry
- Heartwarming stories that are relevant
- Success stories about your product/service
For every 10 posts you share, 9 should add value. That extra one can be a cute or funny meme that’s just designed to make your fans smile.
It’s An Excellent Chance To Support Your Customers:
Sharing value is already a way of supporting your customers every day. You’re providing valuable information that can help them in their everyday lives and that is relevant to what you do.
But during these difficult times, your customers may need more robust support than just helpful social media posts. As a business with a fan/customer base, you’re in a position to be a supportive foundation for those who follow you.
If your business is thriving and you can help those who need physical support, then put it out there on social media. Maybe you want to run a soup kitchen, put together food parcels, or do a fundraiser for families struggling to support themselves.
If your business isn’t in a position to help, you can be a hub for others to meet and help each other. Encourage your followers to share their skills so others might hire them or provide free offers to help those who are in need.
Trust me, going the extra mile to support your customers doesn’t go unnoticed. If you’re there for your customers when they need help—without conditions—their loyalty is going to stick when they’re in a better position.
It Keeps Your Customers Engaged:
Building new client/customer relationships can happen during a recession. But instead of focusing on getting new business, social media is an excellent way to nurture your existing relationships with customers who’ve bought from you before or have shown interest in your brand before.
A great way to keep your existing customers interested and engaged is to ask questions that require an answer. Polls are a fun and quick way for people to give feedback, and this not only keeps them engaged but also gives you valuable insight into trends, mindsets, and customer behavior in this tricky time.
Aside from polls, you can simply ask questions and request an answer. Another great way to encourage audience engagement is to ask them to add a photo of something. People enjoy taking part in fun, mass activities, so this could be a great way to get some interaction going.
Make sure you’re adding a clear call-to-action to every post if you want engagement. Even if you’re just offering a quick post with valuable advice, ask your followers to share it if they found it helpful. Something as simple as this can even get you, new followers.
It’s Cost-Effective:
One of the best things about social media is that it’s free! If you need to trim the fat on your budget, it’s likely that paid ads will take a back seat. But if you’ve already got a social media profile, you don’t need to shell out any cash or lose advertising because of budget.
They say that the best person to sell to is one who’s already bought from you. Your audience on social media is following you because they’re already interested in your product/service or they’ve already bought from you and become a fan.
Paid ads are amazing for bringing in new customers. But taking the advice we’ve already mentioned above is absolutely free… And speaks right to those customers who are already invested in you and your offerings.
You Can Get Creative:
Social media can be fun if you let it! You’ve got a whole lot of choices when it comes to what to post, so take advantage of that and get creative! Try:
- Pictures sharing a quick tip or advice
- Videos sharing valuable information
- Polls and questions to get customer feedback (eg. Which is your favorite of our products? A, B, C, or D)
- Threads that encourage audience engagement (eg. This is Bob, the office dog. Add a pic of your pet in the comments!)
Conclusion:
Social media marketing can be a lifeline in times of financial and business crisis—if you know how to do it right. It’s not just about sharing memes and showcasing your products—you need to shift to a customer-focused mindset if you truly want to be seen, noticed, and followed in tough times.
Focus on the channels where your target market spends most of its time. Don’t waste time on channels where they’re less likely to be. Provide value, help wherever you can, support your customers, and make them feel like you care. You’d be surprised at how effective these marketing strategies are at helping your own business stay afloat!
About the Author:Jordan Fuller is a retired golfer and businessman who understands the parallels between being on the course and being in the office. When he’s not on the course working on his game or doing business, he researches and writes value-packed content for his website, Golf Influence.
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