Smart Marketing During a Crisis: 8 Helpful Posts You Should Read

There is no doubt we are in strange and stressful times.

The one-two gut-punch of the global pandemic and recession is hitting businesses hard.

But I continue to look at our current situation from a marketing perspective.

What’s a marketer to do? I do have details on how I’ll be helping (coming soon!) but for today I simply want to showcase eight posts.

Each article is related to helping your business survive (and possibly even thrive) during and after COVID-19.

I’m highlighting these posts because the authors offer insightful, helpful, and actionable ideas to help your business not only survive but arrive on the other end of this craziness in a better position…

1. Marketing During Tough Times

By Hamilton Wallace

In this piece, Hamilton Wallace offers sage advice for business owners. There are so many valuable tidbits in this article… “Don’t wait.” “Maybe you need to stop doing a lot of what you do and shrink down to doing only that one thing?” “Look for new opportunities ‘around’ your current product definition.” Etc.

If you pull just one actionable item I’d say it was well worth the time it took to read it. Take a look: Marketing During Tough Times.

“Action is what you need right now. Changing things, cutting things, trying new things, measuring, refining, and repeating. This is what you need. Planning is fine, but make sure you act.”

2. Perfectionism Will Slow You Down in a Crisis

By Rasmus Hougaard

Rasmus Hougaard is the Founder and Managing Director of Potential Project, a global leadership training, organizational development, and research firm. So his post focuses on leadership, resilience, and mindfulness.

He presents three hardwired settings you need to manage

The challenge of distractions
The challenge of our ego
The challenge of empathy

And details how to make positive changes with each. Spot-on and very helpful.

Check it out: Perfectionism Will Slow You Down in a Crisis.

“As you lead through these uncertain times, you need to quickly zoom out to comprehend the shifting big picture and then zoom in on the short-term actions to be executed.”

3. How to pivot any business to an online business model

By Bob Gentle

If you are looking for helpful advice on how to pivot in a crisis, this is the post for you. We all need thoughtful, pragmatic, and focused advice right now, and Bob Gentle delivers it here (with examples).

Read it here: How to pivot any business to an online business model.

“The first thing to remember with an online business model is that while you don’t have the easy access to your local customers like you used to, you do have access to the whole world. Don’t think with the same limitations – if you’re going to reimagine your business do it from the ground up.”

4. Marketing in Times of Uncertainty – Whiteboard Friday

By Rand Fishkin

I’ve been watching Rand’s Whiteboard Friday series for years. And I think his simple but educational videos are still some of the best out there.

In this video, he presents a clear, focused, and sensible approach to marketing in times of uncertainty…

1. Cut with a scalpel, not a chainsaw. (Don’t cut too fast or you may hurt your business.)

2. Invest for the 2nd and 3rd waves now. (Plan for a post-crisis new normal when things start to come back.)

3. Read the room. (Practice empathy and don’t be tone-deaf.)

Take a look: Marketing in Times of Uncertainty – Whiteboard Friday

“And that is what that research shows, right, that essentially folks who invest in marketing, in sales during a recession tend to outperform and more quickly outperform their competition as markets resume. You don’t even have to wait for them to get good — just as they start to pick up.”

5. Expert Google My Business Survey

By BrightLocal

I’m including this article on the list because I help clients with Local SEO and I consider BrightLocal an online leader in this industry.

I’m also constantly telling business owners about the importance of Google My Business (GMB).

Your Google My Business profile will enable you, with very little time and energy spent, to capitalize on the fact that 46% of all Google searches are looking for local information?

This piece features experts such as Joy Hawkins, Jason Brown, Claire Carlile, and more (I follow them all ;))

What do I have to say about BrightLocal? Well, no organization is better at distilling local SEO info. A must-read for local businesses.

Check it out: Expert Google My Business Survey

“82% of the local marketing experts say that Google My Business optimization is ‘very effective’ in improving local pack rankings.”

6. How to Make the Leap from Offline to Online Business Success [7 New Skills You Need]

by Pamela Wilson

As you know, business is changing fast. With the current crisis have you considered moving your business online, but don’t know what steps to take? Pamela Wilson walks you through it in this post.

Pay attention to what Pamela Wilson says in her intro video: “Iteration”… almost everything can be changed so changes are so much easier online. Go into the online space with the spirit of iteration.

Read it here 👉👉 How to Make the Leap from Offline to Online Business Success [7 New Skills You Need]

“Moving from offline to online business isn’t a simple switch, because what works offline may not work online — at all. You have to learn a whole new set of skills.

So is there an offline to online model you can follow?

Yes …”

7. Why Companies Turn To Digital Marketing To Survive COVID-19

By Bernard Marr

As Bernard writes… “Digital is likely to be the clear winner here, and companies – including ones that may not so much as had a Facebook page before – will need to move into social marketing, content marketing, SEO, and influencer-led campaigns.”

And…

“As long as businesses approach the shift to digital marketing strategically, there’s no reason why it should just serve as an emergency fill-in, but could carry on providing long-term value when the world eventually gets back to normal. And of course, it would make companies more resilient to deal with any future pandemics.”

Take a look: Why Companies Turn To Digital Marketing To Survive COVID-19

“Digital is likely to be the clear winner here, and companies – including ones that may not so much as had a Facebook page before – will need to move into social marketing, content marketing, SEO, and influencer-led campaigns.”

8. Success Later Means Dancing Now

By Joe Pulizzi

I love this short post from Joe Pulizzi.

And, I agree, success later does indeed mean dancing now.

He opens with optimism.

Then introduces us to the Hammer and the Dance analogy about the “new normal” we’ll be living in (still somewhat optimistic).

Then closes with a hopeful note and a few words to spark you to action.

Well worth the few minutes it takes to read.

Check it out: Success Later Means Dancing Now