We are living in unprecedented times, which have been extremely stressful and difficult to navigate. But the one thing that we can all rely on is that the COVID-19 era can’t last forever. The good news is that we are all beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And those who persevered and showed fearlessness by forging ahead with their marketing will undoubtedly come out ahead when life returns to normal. When only the strong not only survive, but thrive; understand that it takes courage and forethought to stay ahead of the fray. Now is the time for businesses to see the opportunity that will present itself in the post-COVID-19 boom. And to be successful, they will seek to take full advantage of it by taking action. What steps are you taking to get ahead of the competition so that your small business can reap the benefits of the economic aftermath of COVID-19?
Out of sight, out of mind, is something that you don’t want to happen. People might be practicing social distancing physically, but they still want to engage with others. If you have taken a hiatus from communicating with your established customers, now is a time to make contact. Reach out and tell them about what precautions you are taking due to COVID-19 to keep them safe. All those emails about companies' responses to the virus might seem useless, but for many businesses, they are highly critical to give people security knowing that their safety and health is your number one goal. Although COVID-19 restrictions might be lifted soon, the fear will remain. And even though you can reopen, there will be a large majority of people who will forever alter the way that they look at things and the dangers that contagion will present to them. COVID-19 might be almost over for now, but there are threats that it will return, and now is the time to let people know that you are preparing for the future. Communicate in full detail how you are taking precautions for the here and now, and how you plan to address future threats. The reality is that the steps taken in the COVID-19 era will forever change the way that the public deals with outbreaks and perceives the threat of doing business as usual. As a business owner, put procedures in place to calm and reassure your customers and it will build loyalty for when you reopen and well beyond!
Never before have you had such a captive audience. According to SocialMediaToday.com, the average person is spending 20% more time on social media due to COVID-19. Pre-COVID-19, the average person spent two hours and twenty-four minutes, so that is a significant additional amount of the day that you have to communicate with established and potential customers. Not only is it important to reach out via things like email marketing, but now is the time to chalk your social media sites full of information about your response to COVID-19. And also, to distribute material about how you plan on protecting those you serve. The key is to provide information that is upbeat, non-threatening, and engaging. Customers want to hear a positive approach to COVID-19 and future viral scares by seeing that you are taking actionable and real steps to stop the spread of the virus, and also to keep them safe. They shouldn’t have to wonder if you are taking precautionary steps. Or, to think they have to go the extra step to ensure on their own, and their family’s, safety. When you outline what your new procedures are, they have the reassurance that hiring you is a safe way to go. If you are explicit and devise a real campaign to communicate to customers, you will win out over competitors who don’t. Although COVID-19 might be near the end, you still have to respond and let the customers know how your business is forever changing to address not just the current threat, but any that might come our way in the future.
Don’t leave your customers guessing if you are going to take this threat and future ones seriously by changing policies. Give them the information they need to find safety by posting the steps you are taking to keep them safe. Policies should be outlined in full detail, explaining not just the responses and alterations you are making, but why you are, and how long they will last. People are growing tired of all the rules and regulations, but if you provide an explanation of why you are taking them and find them necessary, they will go from irritated to finding security. And they will begin to feel good about choosing your company over others that are not taking current or future threats seriously by forever changing the way that you do things.
Although the stay-at-order will be lifted soon, people are still unaware of which companies will open their doors and what changes will be made. Make sure to give people the information they need not just about procedural changes, but also about any hour changes you are making. It is highly critical to be on top of any hours of operation changes that you have made by listing them on your website, your Google Maps, and Google my Business listings. It has become very difficult to know whether businesses are keeping up with open and closed times when consumers Google business hours. And it has become super frustrating to believe that businesses are open due to the information found online only to find out that the information is wrong and has not been updated. It literally only takes you about five minutes to change your hours of operation; so do it! Also, when you are ready to reopen, shout it out via email, social media, and whatever media outlets you have used in the past! You want to take full advantage of the post-closing order. When people begin to feel safe to leave their homes, they are going to be excited to go out and enjoy life again. Make sure that you are one of the businesses they go back to once this is all behind us by reminding them that you are open and ready to serve.
It is not only important to use social media outlets and website details to give information in these uncertain times about your company or business; make sure to be very communicative and responsive on the web and in person. Your voice message should be clear about what changes you are making, especially if you don’t have a real person answering your phones. And any communication you use should also have projections about what the future will hold. You want to ensure that you are highly responsive and engaged with your customers by providing the most information possible, and when possible. And also by having a real person to answer questions to ease the tension of the atmosphere we are all living.
COVID-19 has thrust us all, especially small businesses, into a time of uncertainty where we are all just trying to make it through the storm. But those who show fearlessness in the face of adversity are the ones who will not only survive; they will thrive. Now is not the time to give up and shrink from the public’s eye. Rather, it is the time to engage with your existing and potential customers so that when this is behind us, you have built loyalty, trust, and reassurance that you are there to serve. And also, that you care greatly about those who put faith in you by responding not just to this pandemic, but to the way that it will forever change the consumer’s psyche about safety and health. Be brave, forge ahead, and make your voice known by every channel available to help those around you find security in such insecure times. Let Fu Dog Media help you take full advantage of the post-COVID-19 era by taking the right steps now to come out swinging.
Reach out and Engage With Established Customers
Update Your COVID-19 Policy on Your Website and Social Media
Post-New Policies to be Highly Visible
Announce Your Intentions to Reopen
Communicate Via the Internet and All Other Ways Possible
Come Out Swinging
Category: Social Media Marketing
6 Reasons You Need Content Marketing for Your Small Business
CONTENT IS KING.
Why aren't you utilizing content marketing?
Content marketing is a strategy where companies create and distribute valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract a targeted audience — This content eventually leads to a profitable customer action.
Below are six major reasons why you need to utilize one of the leading marketing companies in Charleston, SC for your content marketing.
1. You Spent the Money Designing a Beautiful Website – Don’t Waste it!
You spent a whole lot of money designing a beautiful website. Your investment will be for naught if no one ever views it. Make sure that people see how fantastic your webpage is by using content marketing to guarantee that it is seen. Blogging on your site is one form of content marketing.
If you own an HVAC company, you can post an article on “Tips to improve your heating and cooling efficiency & save money!” And what homeowner wouldn't want to save money? The consumer finds what your company posts useful and by consistently giving them relevant content, eventually they become a customer.
2. SEO and Content Marketing Go Hand in Hand
98% of internet users will not go to page two of an internet search. That means if you aren’t found on page one, you probably won’t be found at all. SEO increases your search engine rankings and traffic. Content marketing when combined with SEO helps drive even more traffic to your site through posting relevant information through various digital outlets. Content marketing drives traffic, improves search rankings, and improves your overall web presence.
3. It Gives Value To Potential Customers, So They Keep Coming Back
Customers like to feel like they get something for nothing. Content marketing is a way to give useful information to your viewers, which leaves a good impression of your organization. It also makes it more likely they will come back again and again! When people do find the tips and information they need, they will consider your site a source. Each time that they return for more information is regarded as a “repeat” visit. Repeat visits will rank your website higher than a first-time visit. Content marketing works in many ways to get you to page one. When you use content marketing to engage them and keep them on your page for longer, that reduces your bounce rate. The lower your bounce rate is, the higher your page will rank with Google. Great content engages visitors!
4. Word of Mouth and Sharing
When someone finds content marketing full of value, they are likely to pass along the information and to share it on social media sites. Social media marketing can be as highly effective as search engine optimization. Good content marketing works on both fronts!
5. It Presents Your Organization As An Authority
If you want to be seen as a leader in your particular industry, establishing yourself as an authority is always a good idea. By giving sound advice, tips, and information through content marketing, you are creating a good impression with your audience and carving out a niche in the market through reliability and trust. Consistently posting relevant and useful content makes your company an expert in the eyes of the consumers viewing your content!
6. It's a Fairly Inexpensive Way to Gain a Whole Lot of Traction
Marketing is not inexpensive, as you probably already know. Content marketing is one of the most effective and least expensive ways to gain internet exposure. When you compare it to other marketing methods, you get a whole lot more bang for your buck.
If you aren’t using content marketing to further your exposure on the internet, you are doing yourself a big disservice.
There are so many ways that it helps to get your website front and center, there is no reason not to use it! If you've been searching for the best marketing companies in Charleston SC, contact Fu Dog Media today to discuss how we can drive more traffic and generate more leads using content marketing today!
The power of storytelling & brand identity on the web
Storytelling in your social media and website design
One of the trending topics of 2018 is storytelling and how it relates to your brand. One way to create a consistent brand and user experience is to drive engagement through impactful storytelling. When you put out information on the Internet, it is all contributing to your brand's story.
“Savvy design, product, and engineering teams are starting to pick up on what marketing and sales teams have been exploring for a while: storytelling matters,” points out Donna Lichaw, author of The User's Journey: Storymapping Products That People Love.
The products and services you are offering have to mean something to people. It's not just good design or call to action. Companies and marketers have an opportunity to build a story to tell their customers that hopefully they can connect with.
The better the story, the more successful the product and business. One of my favorite brands I have come across (thanks to my wife) is Logan Hollowell Jewelry. My wife is addicted. It seems like every day she is marveling over the story that Logan tells through Social Media. Glistening pieces of jewelry on beautiful, California-tanned hands, subtlety moving back and forth to catch the sun just right in every post.
It's jewelry marketed as “treasure”
Logan Hollowell tells us, “My creations are physical manifestations much deeper than jewelry. My intention is to do more than just make you look sparkly; I want to make you sparkle from the inside out. There’s a diamond inside of us just waiting to be discovered. The idea of my line is to serve as a reminder to you that you are just like a diamond – unbreakable, sparkling, and full of light.
My mission is to create heirlooms with real gold and diamonds that last forever. The idea is to invest in the best possible, because you’re worth it. I encourage women to set the bar high because it sets the stage for how you deserve to be treated. My intention will always be that when you wear the jewelry that you feel empowered and beautiful – that of a goddess.”
Logan handpicks each gemstone based on her intuition and the feeling that she receives from the stone and its beauty. Logan is, ultimately, in the business of healing arts and works with energy to improve lives. Logan dreams of adding piece of universal energy to your collection and, with it, a piece of emotional value.
Social media marketing and website design that is as addictive as it is spellbinding.
So how do you tell your story? How do we make sure that people engage with your brand and connect on a deeper level that will make them a customer who will return again and again? How do you get your customers to “treasure” your products and services?
Fu Dog Media aims to engage your audience with every design and to help you establish a story worth hearing. With every new website design we create, with each social media marketing account we take on, with every piece of graphic design, we are showing people what your brand means and we are telling your story, and that's why it is so important to hire a professional when it comes to your digital marketing. Most of our customers are wearing so many hats, they are starting to tip over. We will take away that burden and help you tell a story worth telling through your digital marketing. Contact us today, and let's start writing your story.
The Importance of Social Media to Your Brand
Why your company needs Social Media Marketing to compete in Charleston SC
It’s no longer enough to put just put up a site and hope for the best. If you run a business, you know that leveraging every possible tool is essential to building your brand and business, and that’s where social media marketing comes in.
Multi-platform social media marketing
These days, consumers have an abundance of avenues and platforms they can explore, from WordPress blogs to Twitter and Instagram accounts to Facebook pages for your business. If you’ve only got a website to market and promote your business, then you’re limiting your business to a target market that’s restricted to that platform. By using multi-platform marketing, you have a better chance at expanding your consumer base and creating a national or global audience.
Too many choices
However, with so many platforms out there, it can be a bit of a drain on your resources to create and manage accounts on all these social media platforms. It’s also not practical since consumers don’t actually use all those platforms, says the Entrepreneur.
That’s where we come in
At Fu Dog Media, we can help you determine the platforms that your consumers use the most. After we’ve identified these platforms, we can build those social media accounts for you and provide you with the assistance and support you need to maintain and update those pages with fresh content.
Grow your business with social media
Social media is key to expanding your market reach, and if you want to reach out to more customers out there or improve conversions and sales on your sites, marketing through social is one way to get this done.
Save on costs
You don’t have to have deep pockets like big-time players in the field. Social media marketing is a cost-effective way to promote your business and shares and likes can turn your posts viral, saving you a ton on marketing costs.
Your choice for social media marketing in Charleston SC
At Fu Dog Media, we know how to leverage social media marketing and tools to help build your brand and business. If you want help in winning over your market, contact us today for more details.
