18 Mar Doing business in a time of crisis

We’re officially in uncharted territory.  The coronavirus has effectively shut down huge swaths of the nation, and for a lot of businesses, closed the doors for the indefinite future.  So what should you do as a marketer or business owner?  Is it still ok to sell?

Putting Your Customer First

The most important thing to remember is that this is a global public health crisis.  People are worried about so many things, first and foremost their health and the health of their families.  Beyond that, finances are tight, kitchens have become offices, jobs are in jeopardy, childcare is in flux, and focus is anywhere but on you and your business.

Bottom-line – if you’re reaching out to customers, this has to be top of mind, and it has to be real.  Compassion is paramount right now, and it’s probably a good lesson for us to remember when this crazy period of time in our history has passed.

Staying Connected, Staying Engaged

If you’ve built strong relationships with your customers, they will likely want to continue their relationship with you in this time.  In that case, you can think about pivoting your business to provide things to your customers in a different way.

Our friends at Flow Yoga have started to offer online classes for their members to take from their homes.

Boston-based band Bearfight replaced their traditional St. Patrick’s Day show with a live-streamed concert, in which viewers could send donations to the staff of the bar that the concert would have been held.

Boston College shifted its planned fundraising campaign to a Day of Caring, emphasizing stories of people in the BC community doing amazing work.

A New Normal

No matter what line of work you’re in, the reality is that a pivot is in order.  We’re all in the same boat, and we’re all going to get to shore together.  Keep in mind the struggles, and the needs of your clients, and be mindful of your relationships.  If there’s a need you think you can address in this weird time, don’t be afraid to let them know.  Just be sure you’re doing it for the right reasons.

Lead with empathy, be mindful of the changes everyone’s dealing with, and most importantly, be human.