It’s human nature to balk at crisis.
When we’re facing an unprecedented problem, our minds instinctively move to panic mode. We look at the chaos unfolding around us and wonder how — and when — we’ll be hit.
Will our businesses close doors?
Will our employees be laid off?
Will our bills be paid?
The list of questions, of uncertainties, goes on and on. But no matter how long we spend dwelling on it, no matter how much effort we put into trying to make sense of the mayhem, the future still remains a mystery.
We don’t know whether this will last weeks or months.
We don’t know whether things will ever go back to the exact way that they were.
It’s because we can’t tell the future — because we can’t confidently say, hey, six weeks from now I’ll be here — that we should shift our perspective on the now.
Panic mode isn’t productive. Standing back and watching the crisis unfold, giving up at the first opportunity — those moves won’t give you any shot at success.
And they certainly won’t position your business to achieve an immediate revival once the mayhem has resolved.
So, instead of throwing your hands in the air and giving the reins of your business over to panic, here are some actionable things you can do now to help your business set itself up for the future.
Marketing keeps your brand alive
Now is not the time to go radio silent. It’s not the time to complain to your customers, and it’s not the time to outright ignore what’s going on in the world, either.
Look at it this way: the relationship you have with your customers is just like any other relationship you have. It requires consistent effort — or else it will crack.
Turning off all communication with your customers and expecting things to go right back to normal later is misguided.
The reason your long-standing customers keep returning to you is because you offer them something beyond the product — you offer them a unique customer experience. When that level of service and care are taken away, you become just another apparel decorator. And, when things resume, there will be plenty of those for your customers to choose from.
So, what should you do?
Be there for your customers, even when you can’t be.
Send emails, be active on social media, and be vocal about the things you can offer.
Maybe you’re involved with a fundraising campaign. Maybe you’re offering special rates on future orders, or tutorials on how the technology you use works.
Or maybe you’re just letting your customers know that you understand what they’re going through. That you’re all in this together.
There are always ways to provide exceptional service — to keep in contact with your customers, and to keep your business front of mind. You just have to get creative about where to find them.
You can’t lose confidence
If you throw in the towel as soon as things get tough, what does that say to your customers?
It says that you don’t believe in your business enough to keep fighting. It says that you don’t think your business had a shot at making it through.
If you don’t believe in your business, why should your customers? The second you start to lose confidence, they can sense it. And people don’t tend to do business with companies that aren’t sure about what they bring to the table.
When you invest in your company, you’re instilling it with confidence — and that’s a long-term game plan. You need your customers to know that you’re doing everything you can to keep your business in the best shape possible, so that it’s ready for when they need it.
When they see you fighting for it, they’ll believe that it’s worth the fight.
Here are some ways you can invest in your company now:
Think about what your customers need and want in this time. Most of us are sheltering in place, confined to our homes, and looking for distractions — so is there a type of content your business is especially equipped to offer?
Can you offer videos that teach them something new? Can you offer design contests for kids in the community?
When you appeal to your customers’ needs, you become useful in a whole new way. And beyond just being useful, you position your business as one that cares.
Looking beyond just your customer base, can you start or join a fundraising initiative, bringing your apparel decorating capabilities to the campaign?
Can you help raise money for other local businesses, can you start making face masks, can you help promote a distillery that’s making sanitizer?
Look around at the initiatives unfolding in your community and brainstorm creative ways to help them. Not only will getting involved put you to work, but it’ll also show your community that you’re there for them. That you’re doing what you can to make a difference.
These efforts may not seem like conventional marketing ideas, but now’s the time to take your mind away from the conventional. Think about a more holistic brand approach: however you take action now, your customers will know — and their future engagement with you will be affected, one way or another.
It’s up to you — through maintaining a useful connection, and through helping community initiatives — to have them remember your actions through the crisis as positive.
Make everything accessible
With most physical storefronts and person-to-person interactions banned, you should be focused on making as much of your business digitally accessible as possible.
With InkSoft technology, products and virtual stores can already be designed remotely. They can be sold virtually, with all of the transaction logistics — including fundraising — taken care of.
That means that there’s nothing stopping you from continuing to sell your products and services.
Make new campaigns for schools and sports teams by encouraging them to use spirit wear to get excited for when they’re once again allowed to operate.
Make new campaigns for businesses by encouraging them to send branded goods to their employees to foster morale.
Make new campaigns for your community, offering specials for customized “Happy Birthday!” t-shirts, so kids can celebrate with their friends from far away.
Social distancing has made a lot of things more difficult, but that does not mean they’ve been made impossible. You have the technology to work around the road-blocks — so get moving.
The impression you leave lasts — and it matters
If you leave here with one takeaway, it should be this: your customers will remember how you acted.
No, you weren’t prepared for the crisis. None of us were. But that doesn’t mean we should admit defeat without giving it our all.
You should be doing everything that you can, using every trick in your toolbox, to keep your business moving and your customers connected. Just like Ron Augelli with Talk Shirty to Me did.
The simple truth is, when things revert to normal, the companies that have engaged in great customer service and customer-centric ideas will have better results than those who waited and did nothing, only to then bombard their customers with promotions and email blasts.
Customers don’t like to feel forgotten about, and they don’t like to feel like they’re only appreciated when it’s convenient.
You need to make them know that you’re with them, through all of this.
That doesn’t mean you need expensive marketing firms or fancy social media strategies. It means you need to use what you’ve got to keep your message out there.
Write from-the-heart emails. Record authentic videos. Keep in touch with your community on social media.
We live in a digital age, so take advantage of the tools already at your fingertips.
Remember that it’s the businesses that stay engaged, that continue to provide value, that are the ones that retain customers. Even when there’s no short-term gain, you have to be focused on the long-term.
Strengthened customer relationships. Strengthened community ties. And maybe even a new revenue stream or two.
Adversity is difficult, but it breeds growth. So take this time to grow.
And, whatever you do, don’t give up. Because your customers are watching — and they shouldn’t believe in your business more than you do.
If there’s anything we at InkSoft can do to help your business take action, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re glad to help however we can.
We’re rooting for you.
Stay safe,
The InkSoft Team
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