Image by Taken from Pixabay

By Henry Brown

Your business has taken a hit. The past few months have proven an unprecedented blow to your operations and your cash flow alike. You’ve most likely already had to make sacrifices or at least make significant changes to the way you do business in order to stay afloat. At present it may feel like you’re treading water, going through the motions and hoping that a second wave doesn’t come along to decimate your fragile operation. Yet, while you may feel vulnerable and unsure, now is not the time to take your foot of the gas. Your insecurity may be perceived as weakness. And your competitors will be only too happy to capitalize on this, taking the opportunity to poach your customers away from you. And at a time when every single transaction counts, this can prove a further unwanted blow to your business (not to mention your self esteem).

It’s time to push forward with a renewed sense of hope, self-belief and operational excellence. Here’s how you do it…

Use content marketing to gain consumer trust

When your confidence and your cash flow have been dealt a blow by circumstances beyond your control, you may find it hard to promote yourself online. But digital marketing is a vital weapon in your arsenal, and with the right content, you can engage your existing customers while also encouraging new prospects to start building a relationship with your brand.

Creating engaging content like blog posts, vlogs, podcasts, infographics and tutorials can allow you to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise, showing newcomers that you are worthy of their trust. It can also give your SEO a handy boost, making your more visible to consumers than your competitors on search engine results pages.

Double down on employee training

Your employees need to feel more empowered, engaged and energized than ever if they’re to deliver the operational excellence that will help you thrive in these challenging times. Now, more than ever, you need to double down on your employee training and development, making it an ongoing part of your operations, rather than simply part of your recruitment and onboarding process.

Invest in equipment that will give you a competitive edge

You’re getting by okay with the equipment you have? But could investing in more equipment now make your operation leaner, more agile and more competitive? If so, now may actually be the perfect time to invest in the equipment that will ensure a brighter future. Take advantage of the current low interest rates with loans for small businesses. Anything that has the potential to increase your appeal and add value to your brand at the expense of your competitors is a worthy investment at this point.

Turn your customers into loyal brand evangelists

Finally, while you should be thinking very carefully about your marketing content, you should also take a moment to consider that some of the most compelling marketing content is the kind that’s written by your customers. Now, more than ever, you need to incentivize customers to write reviews for you to display proudly on your Google My Business page or display front and center on your website. A little trust can go a long, long way in the current climate.

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Henry Brown is an online marketing executive. When he isn’t talking shop, he’s roaming the streets of London, uncovering the extra-ordinary in the ordinary.