17 Apr There’s never been a better time to PR your business
These are crazy times. Businesses are going under, the word ‘furlough’ is now common parlance and we cannot do so many things that were once taken for granted.
I totally understand if you are sat there thinking that now really is not the time to PR your business. If you are stuck in with children under five, getting out of your pyjamas and providing three meals a day may be as much as you can manage.
I feel your pain, but I also see how some businesses are capitalising on the current pandemic by providing much needed services and then blowing their trumpets about it. Yesterday, I received a box of groceries from an ironing business. Realising that they have a fleet of delivery vans at the ready, they’ve expanded their offerings and are doing a roaring trade. They provided me with the first bag of penne pasta I’ve seen in a month!
Local traders are doing better than ever and people are starting to care about the ethics of those they buy from. Big corporates are being named and shamed while previously unsung heroes are having their moment. Go that extra mile for your customers now and they will reward you with their loyalty.
People are spending more time staring at a screen, which means they are looking at more adverts. Local neighbourhood groups are awash with suggestions as to where to buy this, that or the other.
I did some PR for a soft drinks company in my town a year ago. The owner told me he is doing local deliveries so I put a few posts about this in neighbourhood groups on Facebook and the drinks are selling fast.
Go and find your local groups online. Talk to people. Listen to them. Find out what they want and give it to them with a little extra on top.
If you have a business that really cannot operate in this current climate, then think up a side hustle or sit down and think about how you are going to move your business forwards once lockdown ends.
If you haven’t embraced technology yet, do so. My meditation, yoga and ballet classes have all moved online. I also noticed that a hairdresser’s was offering free colouring tips on Zoom. They may not be able to offer highlights right now, but they are building relationships that will prove fruitful once they open their doors again.
Social media really is the place to get attention now. There are still ample opportunities in printed and online publications, but bear in mind that more than 2,000 journalists have been furloughed, so it is harder to reach the right people.
That being said, they still need content and the buzzword is ‘uplifting’. A classic example of what people want right now is Captain Tom. With the help of his family and one marketing person, his story has gone global and to date, he has raised almost £19million for the NHS. AMAZING. That is the power of a good story for you.
Take a look at how it started, the social media posts that were put out and how it spread like wildfire through local, national and global press. Captain’s Tom’s pledge came from the heart and that’s why it captured the nation.
Can you inject a little bit of that into your business right now?
Stay safe, well and sane. Until next time!