1 – Marketing and Communications
Marketing and communications is just as important now – if not more – than ever before. Begin by reviewing the questions below and then the topic-specific resources.
- How do you intend to advertise that your business has re-opened? What is your communication plan?
- Have you analyzed your local, regional, and/or national competition?
- Have you identified your target customer and how to best reach them?
- Have you identified the key stakeholders and customers to target?
- What items and practices should be added to your existing marketing strategy?
- If customer orders have been lost or you simply cannot support them on time, have you informed those customers?
- Have you re-evaluated what your customer is willing and able to pay for in this new environment?
Marketing-related resources:
Google and Beyond: Marketing on the Web – Presented by Ray Sidney-Smith: A playlist of online marketing webinars.
Topic: Marketing and Communications
Summary: Strong brand and clear messaging are critical to your business surviving the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Your challenge is to find the right message at the right time, while maintaining a good reputation.
Key Learning Objectives and Actionable Insights:
- Learn why maintaining a good brand reputation is important to staying in business and what you can do to keep your reputation strong.
Gain clarity on the types of messages to send in order to get and keep customers.
- Understand timing and tone of messaging and the role each plays in customer engagement.
Presenters: Sharon L. Wright, Owner & President and Deb Haynes Swider, Chief Strategist, Loud & Clear Marketing
Breakdown:
Introduction/Agenda – (6 min)
What is marketing? – 6:04 (3 min)
What is branding? – 8:41 (7 min)
Why branding is important – (2.5 min)
Branding tips – (9.5 min)
Questions to ask yourself about your brand – (4.5 min)
What is messaging? – (2 min)
Why messaging is important – (2 min)
Messaging tips – (12 min)
Questions to ask yourself about your messaging – (1 min)
Resources/Tools – (2.5 min)
Introduction/Agenda – (4.5 min)
Digital marketing basics – (8 min)
Consumer psychology in uncertain times – (7 min)
Five stages of marketing strategy – (31 min)
- Pause, breathe, plan, repeat – (8 min)
- Lead generation: Content and Advertising – (13.5 min)
- Lead capturing and nurturing – (3.5 min)
- Sales – (referenced webinar) (3 min)
- Post-sale nurture: Referrals and Repeats – (3 min)
Final recommendations – (4.5 min)
Introduction/Agenda – (4 min)
How best to use email to connect – (6.5 min)
Why and how should you send video via emails – (4 min)
How to use videos via social media/online platforms – (7 min)
How best to utilize phone calls – (5 min)
Actions to consider taking – (1 min)
Resources/Contact information – (1 min)
Communications-related resources:
Introduction – (2.5 min)
What is a crisis? – (6 min)
Identifying risk levels to your company’s reputation – (5 min)
Why does Crisis Communications Planning matter? – (3.5 min)
6 Elements to Crisis Communications Planning – (5 min)
The Crisis Plan: Outline – (7 min)
How to best craft your messaging – (6 min)
What can you do now to address business needs? – (7 min)
How should you communicate in a crisis? – (2 min)
Post-pandemic issues that may affect your business – (2 min)
