You need to be willing to change the way that you market your business’s products and services as times change and the whole world situation changes. You need to find a way of keeping your business in the minds of your potential clients when times are bad so that they will turn to you when times are not so bad. You should use your business to reach out to your community and be a light in the midst of a recession, and you should take steps now to make sure that you will have clients in the future.
Make the Most of Social Media When Times are Hard:
When a country is going through a difficult time financially, people start to look for hope anywhere they can find it. You can use the social media platform that your business has to help offer hope to those people who are struggling. You can use social media without spending money on marketing, and you can post often to keep your business in the minds of your clients. Share inspirational quotes and positive news stories through your social media account. Ask your clients how they are doing, and dedicate some time to responding to the clients when they answer your question.
Send Out Thoughtful Postcards:
When times are hard, people get excited about any mail that they get that is not a bill. You can send out thoughtful and relevant postcards during a recession that show a picture of you, information about what you offer, and a way for your clients to contact you. You can include a message of hope or simply let the postcards show your clients that you are thinking of them as they are struggling. It does not cost a lot to have postcards made and to get them mailed out to all of your past clients.
Consider Sending More Than Just Postcards:
If you have the means, you should think about putting together care packages that you can send out to your past clients during a difficult time. You might include t-shirts with the name of your business on them, or you might support a local bakery and surprise your previous clients with cookies for their families. You can let people know that you care – and also brighten up their day – by sending out care packages.
Be Involved in All that is Going on in Your Community:
If there is a food drive going on in your area, in an effort to make sure that everyone has enough food during a recession, be involved in that. Find out how your business can help collect donations and get food to those who are in need. If there is an auction going on to raise money for your community, see if your business can donate something to that auction. Look for ways that your business can be involved in cleaning up and caring for your community.
Make Giving to Charity a Priority:
When times are hard for everyone, it can be a good idea for your business to get involved in a charity of some kind. You might simply give money to a charitable cause that means something to you or you might choose to be part of a fundraising committee for a charity. You should see if there are charities that might like to have you on their board. The more work that you do for charities, the more that you prove that your business cares about the world.
Partner with Other Businesses in the Area:
There are going to be other businesses in your area that are struggling during a recession, just as your own business is. You should see if some of those businesses might like to partner with you when it comes to advertising. You can share an ad in the local paper or send out postcards with the names of both your businesses on them. You can become friends with another business owner and agree to recommend their business to your clients if they will do the same with their clients.
Assist Your Previous Clients as They Seek Out Help:
If you know that one of your previous clients is trying to find someone to landscape their yard, you might prove yourself to be helpful by finding the service that they need. If you see that one of your clients is looking for information regarding the area that your business is set up in, you might agree to answer any questions that they have. Be helpful so that your clients will remember you and tell their friends about you.
Always be Quick to Respond When a Client Reaches Out to You:
If you have a client reach out to you on one of your social media platforms, respond to them as quickly as you can. They may be feeling desperate, and you might be just the help that they need. If you receive an email from a client, take some time to respond to that as soon as you see it. Communication can be a great marketing tool in the midst of a recession.
Share Pictures of the Charitable Work that You are Doing:
If you are involved in charitable causes, do not be afraid to share pictures of some of the things that you have done. Use your social media pages to educate people about the charitable opportunities that are out there and also to show them that you are giving some of your time to those who are less fortunate.
Share Lists of Tips to Help People Through a Recession:
There are certain things that you can share on social media that will in turn get shared by all of your followers. Lists that help people save money and know how to get through a recession will be noticed and shared when you post them on social media. You should find informative content to share with your followers.
Do What You Can to Get Your Previous Clients to Refer New Clients to You:
There are ways that you can work on staying in the minds of your previous clients all through a recession. There are also things that you can do so that your previous clients will recommend your business to their friends and help you gain new clients during a tough time. Take steps to keep up with marketing work when a recession is taking place.